On the "security and stabilty of the DNS" and "EOI slots"

[Eric Brunner-Williams <ebw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Kurt,

In the eoi-model-18dec09-en.pdf [1], the Staff follow-up to the Board 
vote on the 9th, on an "Expression of Interest" (EOI) program, there 
is a turn of phrase that is surprising.
In the "Risks considered" section, on page 8, opens with a discussion 
of whether the EOI will create a market in "slots". The discussion of 
a market in "slots" concludes with the sentence which surprised me:
"The key task for ICANN is to ensure that transfers [of EOI "slotes"] 
are carried out in a way that does not harm the security or stability 
of the DNS."
Could you suggest how the arbitrary rearrangement of the EOI 
participants' priority, assuming that there is any prioritization 
within the set of EOI participants, or the arbitrary substitution of 
non-participants and their non-assertions of qualifications, if any, 
for the EOI participants and their assertions of qualifications, if 
any, can possibly, assuming the continued existence of an evaluation 
process, harm the security or stability of the DNS?
I continue to think the EOI a mistake, but how can a market for 
"slots", as process speculators realize their ROI goals and sell out 
before the value of their pet rock TLD project is tested, can cause 
harm to the security or stability of the DNS?
Cheers,
Eric