(The speed at which this discussion board moves is frightening. It reminds me of
an undisciplined mind- jumping from one thought to the next, never really pursuing
or focussing on any particular thought. I wonder if ICANN designed its boards like
this to stop people pursuing controversial issues- within a day your thread is buried
under dozens of others).ANYWAY, this is what I'm saying...
I may be jumping
to conclusions here, but when I try to visualise a person, Plankenstein phoning up
a registrar and cutting a deal for $500,000, I see him asking for some assurance
that the names
1. will get submitted without appropriate validation
2. will
not be revoked later
He would have spoke to the most senior person at Speednames
for this magnitude of deal. That person I am convinced would have been very assuring-
people always are when someone's waving $500K in front of them.
What I'm saying,
is basically that I think the management of Speednames (as a board member of Afilias)
would have categorically assured Plankenstein that his investment will pay off very
well, although some token names (a few small Austrian villages) may be revoked just
to keep spectators happy.
Nobody puts that much cash on the line without positive
assurance. He probably drew up a custom contract for the deal. I wouldn't be surprised
if Plankenstein and our Speednames/ Afilias friends were connected previously.