Comments on: My application for the ICANN Board http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/ An infuriatingly infrequently updated reflection on the Internet, the US, and life in general Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:08:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: So, I took this job at ICANN… at kierenmccarthy.co.uk http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-24315 Thu, 25 Jan 2007 00:47:29 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-24315 [...] So I re-read the statement on my Board application late at night about a week after I had been asked to consider the job of general manager of public participation, and in the morning I woke up convinced that being offered the position was, if not exactly destiny, then whatever comes close to it for a realist. [...] […] So I re-read the statement on my Board application late at night about a week after I had been asked to consider the job of general manager of public participation, and in the morning I woke up convinced that being offered the position was, if not exactly destiny, then whatever comes close to it for a realist. […]

]]> by: NomCom nonsense continues at kierenmccarthy.co.uk http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-10368 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 19:54:22 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-10368 [...] The reality was (and I know because I applied) that no one at all had even the slightest idea what was going on. You sent a submission, you received an email saying it had been received. And then four months later you recieve an email telling you who had been chosen (and it wasn’t you). [...] […] The reality was (and I know because I applied) that no one at all had even the slightest idea what was going on. You sent a submission, you received an email saying it had been received. And then four months later you recieve an email telling you who had been chosen (and it wasn’t you). […]

]]> by: New ICANN Board members decided this weekend at kierenmccarthy.co.uk http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-3199 Sat, 16 Sep 2006 12:26:12 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-3199 [...] I applied for an ICANN Board position and broke with the NomCom’s self-imposed secrecy by making my application public. I received receipt of the application. I understand from my proposers that they were asked to provide a reference, although I have not seen any of them. I have received no information since then, and a number of requests over the NomCom basic procedures have not received a reply. I am assuming I have not made it onto the shortlist. I know several people who have put themselves forward for positions, two of which have made their applications public and several others who feel that even making their application known could count against them and so have decided to keep it quiet. [...] […] I applied for an ICANN Board position and broke with the NomCom’s self-imposed secrecy by making my application public. I received receipt of the application. I understand from my proposers that they were asked to provide a reference, although I have not seen any of them. I have received no information since then, and a number of requests over the NomCom basic procedures have not received a reply. I am assuming I have not made it onto the shortlist. I know several people who have put themselves forward for positions, two of which have made their applications public and several others who feel that even making their application known could count against them and so have decided to keep it quiet. […]

]]> by: Kieren http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1585 Wed, 19 Jul 2006 19:52:03 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1585 Cheers Wendy, and thanks for making me despair at the errors in my application. I was a sub-ed for years so it is doubly disgraceful. If I do get on the Board - and that is very far from certain - the gagging order put on Board members would certainly be something I would be very vocal about. If I don't, I plan to be even more vocal if ICANN tries the tactic again. It is entirely unjustifiable to prevent Board members from speaking for 48 hours after a vote and the reason it was done is so transparent that I am stunned that there hasn't been an outcry. If it crops up again, I intend to ask Paul Twomey if he accepts that each of the board members fulfils the sixth criteria of six to be accepted onto the Board, which is: "6. Persons who are able to work and communicate in written and spoken English." Either they do fulfil it and so are able to discuss matters immediately without a delay for "reviewing" their comments. Or they do not and so should be excused from their position. We disagree on commas though. Too many commas make reading impossible. Kieren Cheers Wendy, and thanks for making me despair at the errors in my application. I was a sub-ed for years so it is doubly disgraceful.

If I do get on the Board - and that is very far from certain - the gagging order put on Board members would certainly be something I would be very vocal about.

If I don’t, I plan to be even more vocal if ICANN tries the tactic again. It is entirely unjustifiable to prevent Board members from speaking for 48 hours after a vote and the reason it was done is so transparent that I am stunned that there hasn’t been an outcry.

If it crops up again, I intend to ask Paul Twomey if he accepts that each of the board members fulfils the sixth criteria of six to be accepted onto the Board, which is: “6. Persons who are able to work and communicate in written and spoken English.”

Either they do fulfil it and so are able to discuss matters immediately without a delay for “reviewing” their comments. Or they do not and so should be excused from their position.

We disagree on commas though. Too many commas make reading impossible.

Kieren

]]> by: Wendy Leibowitz http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1584 Wed, 19 Jul 2006 19:32:17 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1584 Kieran, I commend you for your initiative. I do hope that having a journalist on the ICANN Board will make it easier to obtain comment quickly and freely on matters of public interest that come before the board. As I have said to Paul Twomey and others, who come from free countries and who have informed opinions, there is no reason why a board member cannot discuss his or her vote after it is cast. No reason. I hope you will be accessible to journalists. Of course, whatever you do, you will face criticism. Let me be the first to offer a friendly critique of your application: 1. Under A.7, there should be a comma, not a period, after "online news sites including The Times. The Guardian," ... 2. Under A.8, you write, "I have worked at or written for most written media outlets in the UK that covering Internet issues..." Obviously, that should read, "that cover Internet issues." 3. Under B.5, in the paragraph beginning, "I should make it clear at this point...," you write, "If I was accepted..." This is proper, if you're George W. Bush. Better English would be to use the present tense, "If I am accepted" or the conditional subjunctive, "If I were accepted" because you are uncertain as to the outcome. Throughout your application, as with so many ICANN documents, the spelling, punctuation, and wording are very European and a little jarring to U.S. eyes. But I understand that ICANN is an international organization, where Americans have little influence, so we have to get used to unusual spelling and an appalling lack of commas in most documents. : > I wish you well, and should you ever need a copyeditor, or sub-editor as you would put it, I'm happy to fly (business or first class only--this is ICANN we're talking about) to whatever far-flung location ICANN is meeting in, to do my part. --Wendy in Washington, D.C. Kieran, I commend you for your initiative. I do hope that having a journalist on the ICANN Board will make it easier to obtain comment quickly and freely on matters of public interest that come before the board. As I have said to Paul Twomey and others, who come from free countries and who have informed opinions, there is no reason why a board member cannot discuss his or her vote after it is cast. No reason. I hope you will be accessible to journalists.
Of course, whatever you do, you will face criticism. Let me be the first to offer a friendly critique of your application:

1. Under A.7, there should be a comma, not a period, after “online news sites including The Times. The Guardian,” …

2. Under A.8, you write, “I have worked at or written for most written media outlets in the UK that covering Internet issues…” Obviously, that should read, “that cover Internet issues.”

3. Under B.5, in the paragraph beginning, “I should make it clear at this point…,” you write, “If I was accepted…” This is proper, if you’re George W. Bush. Better English would be to use the present tense, “If I am accepted” or the conditional subjunctive, “If I were accepted” because you are uncertain as to the outcome.

Throughout your application, as with so many ICANN documents, the spelling, punctuation, and wording are very European and a little jarring to U.S. eyes. But I understand that ICANN is an international organization, where Americans have little influence, so we have to get used to unusual spelling and an appalling lack of commas in most documents. : >

I wish you well, and should you ever need a copyeditor, or sub-editor as you would put it, I’m happy to fly (business or first class only–this is ICANN we’re talking about) to whatever far-flung location ICANN is meeting in, to do my part.
–Wendy in Washington, D.C.

]]> by: Cool Stories » Blog Archive » Running for the ICANN board http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1435 Sat, 15 Jul 2006 15:53:57 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1435 [...] My colleague from ISOC - Patrick Vande Walle. The English journalist Kieren McCarthy. [...] […] My colleague from ISOC - Patrick Vande Walle. The English journalist Kieren McCarthy. […]

]]> by: Kieren http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1426 Sat, 15 Jul 2006 11:13:46 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1426 Cheers Keith. The way I see it, the reason I am a journalist is because I believe in the enormous advantages that come from making information available to those that are interested in it. It is the reason that open democracies are so much more advanced and equitable than other methods of governance. With ICANN, I think I can actually achieve more by using my skills within the organisation than by reporting from the outside. I wouldn't do it for any other organisation, but the Internet is very dear to my heart and ICANN is still a very young organisation that needs someone whose business is public awareness. Of course, it all depends on 22 people - most of whom will know only that I am a journalist - sitting in a room to decide. We shall see. Kieren Cheers Keith. The way I see it, the reason I am a journalist is because I believe in the enormous advantages that come from making information available to those that are interested in it. It is the reason that open democracies are so much more advanced and equitable than other methods of governance.

With ICANN, I think I can actually achieve more by using my skills within the organisation than by reporting from the outside. I wouldn’t do it for any other organisation, but the Internet is very dear to my heart and ICANN is still a very young organisation that needs someone whose business is public awareness.

Of course, it all depends on 22 people - most of whom will know only that I am a journalist - sitting in a room to decide. We shall see.

Kieren

]]> by: Lex Ferenda » Draft McCarthy http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1417 Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:20:54 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1417 [...] A while back, I referred to the nomination/election process for ICANN. By way of update, I now note the good news that Kieren McCarthy, a journalist in Britain, has applied for the ICANN board vacancy. [...] […] A while back, I referred to the nomination/election process for ICANN. By way of update, I now note the good news that Kieren McCarthy, a journalist in Britain, has applied for the ICANN board vacancy. […]

]]> by: Ole http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1394 Fri, 14 Jul 2006 18:39:39 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1394 Wow, I never realized the form was that detailed and complicated. All the best of luck. Wow, I never realized the form was that detailed and complicated. All the best of luck.

]]> by: Ed http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1357 Thu, 13 Jul 2006 15:11:53 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/07/11/my-application-for-the-icann-board/#comment-1357 Yep, perfect :) Yep, perfect :)

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