I am going to disagree with Milton ( nothing new there, right?).  I think we 
are old enough and mature enough as an organization to handle financing from 
ICANN.  I do not think we need huge amounts (not the numbers of ALAC), but we 
do need to ensure than our Council  members and TF members can attend meetings. 
 It is unfortunate that you and I, Milton, could not be at the Public Forum 
to support Robin, Norbert and Mawaki.

This is travel not substance money.  And I don't see it coming from PIR or 
anywhere else right now.  If ICANN funds ALAC, it should help out NCUC -- with 
no strings attached. 

K


> I don't agree that it is such a great thing to be funded by ICANN, 
> especially at ALAC levels. ALAC has a real problem with co-optation and the creation 
> of a self-perpetuating clique of insiders who compete for these subsidies. 
> For all our difficulties, at least we know, under the current system, that 
> people who run for NCUC offices are dedicated to our interests and causes. 
> Starting throwing 6-figure sums at it and that can change really fast. On the whole 
> it is better to rely on external forms of support, such as the PIR grant and 
> the Brazilian foundation etc. You should all be politically astute enough to 
> know that who pays the piper calls the tune.
>