> I can understand $65/$99 for it, the $550 fee charged by 
> auDA*cough*aucd.org*cough* how ever, is blatent false advertising,
> and misleading.

Not really... the $550 actually goes to the community domains mob...
the registrar does indeed only get their little fee on top.  It's insanely
ridiculous, but that's the way it works.  I'm sure I could have thought
of much more interesting ways to blow a million dollars that to create
this miserable organisation.

Aside from that, if a customer goes to one of these registrars and asks
about community domains, they are fully expected to "pass their client
on", and then hope that after they've been approved, they come back.
Obviously, any registrar with a brain will instead encourage them to
buy something else.  Something that is cheaper to the registrant, more
recognisable to visitors, and more profitable to registrars (ie, ANY
OTHER domain type!)

I cannot believe anyone would want one of these domains - and am
even more surprised that any registrar bothered supporting them... I
just hope that when it collapses (as it inevitably will,) that they don't
expect further auDA funding.

Cheers,
Kirk