Expense Account Augmentation Alert!

The United Nations hasn't held a "Summit" lately, so can you say "Road Trip"? I knew you could!

Agenda Lacking As U.N. Tech Summit Looms:

UNITED NATIONS - Who controls the Internet and how richer nations should subsidize its growth in poorer countries are central issues dividing planners a month ahead of the first U.N. summit on information technology.

Both of which make me think the UN should just butt the hell out.

More than 50 heads of states have confirmed their attendance for the Dec. 10-12 Geneva meeting but there's still no agreement on what they'll be asked to consider.

Aside from the menu and the goods in the shoppes.

With expectations low that much of substance can be achieved at what has been christened the World Summit on the Information Society, organizers are stressing the complexity of the issues.

Even setting broad guidelines on governance of the global yet massively decentralized Internet is a huge challenge, they say.

"Probably what will happen is more a sketch of what needs to be done," said Nitin Desai, special adviser to the summit for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Plus lots of good shopping, I'm sure. Hmm, I wonder who'll be there?

But U.N. officials say they now have confirmation from the French prime minister and the German chancellor, among at least 56 world leaders expected. Stauffacher said he expected 5,000 to 6,000 people to attend, representing government, business and civic sectors.

Jacques, Gerhard, and 5 to 6 thousand people to do nothing? You have to give them credit for knowing how to throw a party. I just wish the taxpayers weren't footing the bill.

President Bush is not yet among them.

Smart move, but stay tuned for the whines about unilateralism.

You really have to read the whole article to get the full flavor of the "issues". It's that bad United Nations taste again. Basically, the one donkey countries want control of Internet technology and content plus lots of cash. Gee, that's a big honking surprise.

And here's the best line:

Andrew McLaughlin, a former ICANN official now fellow at Harvard focusing on global telecommunications policy, dismisses the summit as a "blabberfest that is not likely to produce results."

It's what they do. It's all they do.