Would the current state of affairs qualify for cancelling the mid-terms? Is that overly cynical?

Not in the US, not a US citizen or voter. My suspicion is the answer is "no, but it is not a given that a competent supreme court which looks likely to overturn the WH exists, if they say they want to do this"

The risk is being told no, and inviting dissent into the independence of ICANN. Not asking, means no risk of being told "no, you do as you're told" which would endanger the whole 3 legged stool. the GAC would immediately question the assumption the US government had that level of signoff, the money flows and lawyers would fire up, it would be come a shitstorm in a teacup.

The least likely outcome of asking the department of state if ICANN is "permitted" to add an HSM outside the USA, is a positive answer.

The most likely path to doing it, is not to assume you have to ask.

Several people either in this circuit or close by made submissions to this effect to ICANN recently.

It's very hard to get traction on this story because there is a lot of "don't prod the bear" regarding things ICANN can and should ask Department of State about, and things which really have moved into "self managed, independent international body" space. The reason there are two HSM east and west coast was because of this kind of national-strategic sensitivity. It would be a low bar (only money) decision to duplicate the investment in Singapore and Geneva, two locations which ICANN has existing investment in, with good secure facilities and accepted by the wider public as "neutral" points.

When the KSK ceremonies started up, several people also pointed out that this "diverse locations" thing was a bit hokey. The response above is my re-write of the kinds of things said to me, at the time. If somebody wants to deny State or any other US federal agency influenced the decision I have no formal proof.

I should add as a declaration of interest I was at Rob's goodbye KSK event, I am a TCR, and I made such a submission this year. I have not received any indication it was understood or read, despite asking for some acknowledgement, but the process wheels in an agency like ICANN run to their own time.

Not a great fan of IQ testing, avoid it like the plague and have done for decades (got a note off testing at primary school after the first round).

I believe there is a genetic element for sure but I also think how big the bucket of brains is you get to fill with skills and capabilities is a function of how hard early childhood drives to build that bucket. That social construction of "give me the child until they are 12" of the Jesuits is what I think this is: they can. Because they think they can. They think they can because they were tought to think they can.

Twins testing isn't nothing. This is the gold standard we have. Danny de Vito and Arnie.