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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Top level domains (TLDs) like .com, .org, .edu, and .gov are crucial
markers in our online world, but there are not enough of them to distinguish the
various ways in which we interact on the web. One of the clearest, most pressing
requirements is for TLDs that serve the needs of cities. To that end, in April
2007, the not-for-profit Connecting.nyc Inc. was created to prepare an Internet
space for New York City's networked future <A
href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/objectives"><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none">through
advocacy, research, and education</SPAN></A>.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><o:p></O:P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Step one is to acquire the .nyc
TLD. That opportunity should arise within the next year with the path detailed
in our <A
href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/multi-sector-nonprofit-entity">Acquisition
Campaign</A>. It’s a difficult but doable
task.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The far more challenging task is
to develop .nyc as an organizing force to empower New York City's residents,
institutions, and businesses to better connect with one another and the world.
This becomes ever more important as other cities (.berlin and .paris) acquire
TLDs, with the city’s growing invisibility in an Internet dominated by the .com
TLD, and with our “findability” increasingly dependent on the interests of
search engine operators. To be the master of its future, New York City
needs its own space on the Internet.<o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Over the past year we’ve
developed several resources to support our acquisition and development
campaigns. I’ve had the privilege of working with Dr. Michael Gurstein on a <A
href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/towards-city-tlds-in-the-public-interest">white
paper</A> illuminating the public interest benefits of city-TLDs, and our
<A
href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/project-home">community
wiki</A> and <A
href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/blog/">blog</A> provide New Yorkers with the opportunity to
connect with our effort and help shape their city's future. Links here connect
to several of the wiki's pages.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">With the .nyc TLD a vital civic
resource, we urge public participation in our planning processes and invite you
to explore and add your thoughts to the wiki. Key wiki pages include those for
our <U><A
href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/board-of-directors">Governance</A></U>,
<U><A
href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/community-and-justice">Community
and Justice Goals</A>,</U> and a <U><A
href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/nyc-faq">FAQ</A></U>.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You can help in several other
ways: make a financial or equipment contribution (we need a projector
yesterday!), or by emailing your ideas, questions, and suggestions to me. This
Sunday (March 2) you can join us in imagining New York City's Internet space at
the <A href="http://nycgrassrootsmedia.org/">Grassroots Media
Conference</A> at Hunter
College. I’ll be making a presentation entitled “A Platform for Community
Media.”</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
<o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: none; mso-list-ins: tom 20080227T1328">[NOTE:
Connecting.nyc Inc. is a New York State not-for-profit corporation that is
registered with the New York State Charities Bureau and has submitted
application for the IRS's 501(c)(3) tax exemption approval.]</P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: none; mso-list-ins: tom 20080227T1328"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Thank you
for your attention.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
<o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Tom
Lowenhaupt</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Tom Lowenhaupt, Founder and
Acting Director<o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Connecting.nyc Inc</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=DE
style="mso-ansi-language: DE"><A
href="http://www.connectingnyc.org">Web</A><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>-- <A
href="http://www.connectingnyc.openplans.org">Wiki</A> -- <A
href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/blog/">Blog</A></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=DE
style="mso-ansi-language: DE"></SPAN>Box 1027, Jackson Hts.,
NYC<o:p> </O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A
href="mailto:TomL@communisphere.com"><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none">TomL@communisphere.com</SPAN></A></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">718 639 4222</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=DE
style="mso-ansi-language: DE"><o:p></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">ABOUT THIS MAILING. This is the
kickoff mailing for the .nyc Campaign. I’m sending this message to the 1,546
people in my Outlook Express address book, people I’ve contacted on this and
other matters over the past 14 years. Many of these names are now unfamiliar to
me and I’m certain some recipients will be scratching their heads wondering who
I am and what possible relationship or interest they have in a .nyc TLD. To
those people I send my apology and commitment to remove your name from future
.nyc mailings. Or let me know if I should remove you from my address book,
period. <U><A href="mailto: tomL@communisphere.com">REMOVE
ME</A>.</U><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></O:P></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><IMG alt="The .nyc Logo - Web from Grid" hspace=0
src="C:\Documents and Settings\tom\My Documents\My Pictures\dotNYC logo 3-11-07.JPG"
align=middle border=0><o:p></O:P></P>
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size=2></FONT></FONT></O:P></P></FONT>
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