<div>Dear Colleagues, and Thomas, well met:</div>
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<div>All in a proverbial "one fell e-swoop," may I greet Tom and thank him for: the terrific, well organized and motivating presentation on .nyc at the recent 5th Grassroots media conference at Hunter College; the follow-up his email to those of us attending (of course, from here welcome to reference names as participating enthusiastically), and the very lively and inquiring chat on all sorts of aspects of domain names, <em>ranging from ontological to fiscal</em>. Some links to pictures and short videos to follow.</div>
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<div>And with warm regards and best wishes to All,</div>
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<div>LDMF.</div>
<div>Dr. Linda D. Misek-Falkoff</div>
<div>*Respectful Interfaces* and etc.. <br><br> </div>
<div><span class="gmail_quote">On 2/28/08, <b class="gmail_sendername">Thomas Lowenhaupt</b> <<a href="mailto:toml@communisphere.com">toml@communisphere.com</a>> wrote:</span>
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<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><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.<span class="st" id="st" name="st">nyc</span> Inc. was created to prepare an Internet space for New York City's networked future <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/objectives" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none">through advocacy, research, and education</span></a>.</font></font></div>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Step one is to acquire the .<span class="st" id="st" name="st">nyc</span> TLD. That opportunity should arise within the next year with the path detailed in our <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/multi-sector-nonprofit-entity" target="_blank">Acquisition Campaign</a>. It's a difficult but doable task.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The far more challenging task is to develop .<span class="st" id="st" name="st">nyc</span> 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.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </p>
<p 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 onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/towards-city-tlds-in-the-public-interest" target="_blank">white paper</a> illuminating the public interest benefits of city-TLDs, and our <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/project-home" target="_blank">community wiki</a> and <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/blog/" target="_blank">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>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">With the .<span class="st" id="st" name="st">nyc</span> 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 onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/board-of-directors" target="_blank">Governance</a></u>, <u><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/community-and-justice" target="_blank">Community and Justice Goals</a>,</u> and a <u><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/nyc-faq" target="_blank">FAQ</a></u>.</p>
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<p 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 onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://nycgrassrootsmedia.org/" target="_blank">Grassroots Media Conference</a> at Hunter College. I'll be making a presentation entitled "A Platform for Community Media."</p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">[NOTE: Connecting.<span class="st" id="st" name="st">nyc</span> 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>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Thank you for your attention.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Tom Lowenhaupt</p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Tom Lowenhaupt, Founder and Acting Director</p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Connecting.<span class="st" id="st" name="st">nyc</span> Inc</p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="DE"><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.connectingnyc.org/" target="_blank">Web</a><span> </span>-- <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.connectingnyc.openplans.org/" target="_blank">Wiki</a> -- <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.openplans.org/projects/campaign-for.nyc/blog/" target="_blank">Blog</a></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="DE"></span>Box 1027, Jackson Hts., <span class="st" id="st" name="st">NYC</span> </p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:TomL@communisphere.com" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none">TomL@communisphere.com</span></a></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">718 639 4222</p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="DE"></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">ABOUT THIS MAILING. This is the kickoff mailing for the .<span class="st" id="st" name="st">nyc</span> 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 .<span class="st" id="st" name="st">nyc</span> TLD. To those people I send my apology and commitment to remove your name from future .<span class="st" id="st" name="st">nyc</span> mailings. Or let me know if I should remove you from my address book, period. <u><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:+tomL@communisphere.com" target="_blank">REMOVE ME</a>.</u></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><img alt="The .nyc Logo - Web from Grid" hspace="0" align="middle" border="0"></p>
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