Re: [ga] Why is ICANN's travel agency invoicing for 3.7x what other agents charge?

["Jeffrey A. Williams" <jwkckid1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Debbie and all,

  I agree with your evaluation by and large.  I do however question
how valuable the time of many of the ICANN Board members and
GNSO committee members is.  As such, this is where the rubber
meets the road as to what is, and what is not reasonable travel
expenses, including lodging.  Tents of course are not reasonable
as to lodging as Jefsey suggested.  But I believe the was exaggerating
intentionally in order to set a bottom base position.  However
it is also difficult to recognize the reasonableness of what ICANN
is dolling out for travel for Board/staff members, GNSO committee
members and certain cherry picked "Other dignitaries", of sometimes
questionable value or use...

Regards,

Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 277k members/stakeholders strong!)
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very often the accident of glory" - Theodore Roosevelt

"If the probability be called P; the injury, L; and the burden, B;
liability depends upon whether B is less than L multiplied by
P: i.e., whether B is less than PL."
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===============================================================
Updated 1/26/04
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Debbie Garside wrote:

> When faced with questions like this I tend to put myself in the place of Mr
> or Mrs Average Participant!
>
> Why would I want to fly to some far off land, leaving my children and the
> comforts of my large detached house in the country, leaving my business to
> work unpaid on a community project whilst sleeping in a tent at an airport?
> I am assuming ear plugs would not be considered as a travel expense so I
> mention "sleeping" tentatively.
>
> Sorry but I am not that passionate about the Internet.
>
> By providing participants with decent travel and accommodation allowances
> ICANN ensures participation by those who have something valuable to
> contribute. These people in turn give up their valuable time.
>
> Debbie
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > [mailto:owner-ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of JFC Morfin
> > Sent: 15 January 2008 14:25
> > To: froomkin@xxxxxx; Prophet Partners Inc.
> > Cc: ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [ga] Why is ICANN's travel agency invoicing for
> > 3.7x what other agents charge?
> >
> >
> > My proposition for years, I submitted to the bootstrapping
> > UN/IGF WECANN (World Enhanced Cooperation for Names and
> > Numbers) is to chose a well located airport in terms of
> > flight rates for everyone, buy a place there or negotiate it
> > with the local government for an "International Internet
> > Campus", and discuss with airlines a perequation rate so
> > every attendee from everywhere pays the same.
> >
> > At the begining I see no reason why attendees would not sleep
> > under army lended tents. We are putting brains at work, not wallets.
> > jfc
> >
> >
> > At 18:32 14/01/2008, Michael Froomkin - U.Miami School of Law wrote:
> >
> >
> > >A relevant difference is that wal-mart execs get stock and maybe
> > >options and a salary; ICANN board members get none of those things.
> > >
> > >I'm not fan of ICANN's big-budget and free-spending ways, but I
> > >think business class international travel for Board members and
> > >*senior* staff, plus their own hotel room for everyone are not
> > >unreasonable expenses.
> > >
> > >On Mon, 14 Jan 2008, Prophet Partners Inc. wrote:
> > >
> > >>
> > >>Hi Karl,
> > >>
> > >>It's interesting that you also mention hotel charges. Wal-Mart.CEO
> > >>and President Lee Scott, has publicly stated that to control costs,
> > >>he flies coach and shares a budget hotel room (one figure mentioned
> > >>was $49) when traveling with another Wal-Mart executive. If flying
> > >>coach and sharing budget hotel rooms with other people is good
> > >>enough for the head of the world's largest retailer, it should also
> > >>be good enough for ICANN Board members and staff. Anyone from ICANN
> > >>who wants the extra luxuries should pay for them out of
> > their own funds.
> > >>
> > >>Sincerely,
> > >>Ted
> > >>Prophet Partners Inc.
> > >>http://www.ProphetPartners.com
> > >>http://www.Premium-Domain-Names.com
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>----- Original Message ----- From: "Karl Auerbach"
> > <karl@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >>To: "Roberto Gaetano" <roberto@xxxxxxxxx>
> > >>Cc: "'George Kirikos'" <gkirikos@xxxxxxxxx>; <ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >>Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 4:21 PM
> > >>Subject: Re: [ga] Why is ICANN's travel agency invoicing for 3.7x
> > >>what other agents charge?
> > >>
> > >><snipped>
> > >>
> > >>>And when I inspected the books I found that ICANN's law firm was
> > >>>charging premium rates for an awful lot of travel from DC and
> > >>>Cleveland (where the firm's head office is located) plus some
> > >>>pretty ritzy hotel charges.
> > >>
> > >><snipped>
> > >>
> > >>>--karl--
> > >
> > >--
> > >http://www.icannwatch.org   Personal Blog: http://www.discourse.net
> > >A. Michael Froomkin   |    Professor of Law    |   froomkin@xxxxxx
> > >U. Miami School of Law, P.O. Box 248087, Coral Gables, FL 33124 USA
> > >+1 (305) 284-4285  |  +1 (305) 284-6506 (fax)  |  http://www.law.tm
> > >                        -->It's warm here.<--
> > >
> >
> >
> >