In article <4mlqn1$3ld@nova.umuc.edu>, 5121 Student 01 <cm320c01@nova.umuc.edu> wrote:

>There used to be a pretty amusing web site called
>People Eating Tasty Animals which was located at
>www.peta.org This past weekend, I tried to access it
>and couldn't. I was able to access it about a week
>ago. Have the thugs at peta done away with the domain?
>
>Does anybody have any clues as to what happened?

After completely ignoring my request for an extension of time, the InterNIC has placed the 'peta.org' domain on "hold" in keeping with their so-called "Domain Name Dispute Policy" that serves as nothing other than an arbitrary domain name confiscation policy.

The page remains available at http://mtd.com/tasty, and it will be updated shortly with much more material including details about the current state of affairs.

As for the 'thugs', "PeTA" is not at the moment the cause of the problem. The problem is a large government contractor that has created a domain name policy that basically gives the small businessman, individual or group no rights whatsoever when faced with a slow-moving, well-financed company or organization that just now wakes up to the fact that the Internet just might be a good medium for them to get involved in. Just ask the folks at roadrunner.com, whose 500 or so users stand to get screwed by Warner Brothers, without any compensation whatsoever for their inconvenience.

You might also ask me about a certain Cleveland lawnmower manufacturer with no current net presence that, given this policy, may come along at any time and arrange for the confiscation of my personal domain consisting of my own initials, mtd.com, and which has already indicated to me their intent of being the "only MTD on the Internet."

This so-called "Domain Name Dispute Policy" was fabricated in a vacuum where only the interests of large, well-financed trademark holders were represented. It has no basis in trademark or any other law, neither does it reflect the traditional methods by which the Internet's standards and practices have been arrived at through example, consensus, and cooperation of all, and not just a small well-financed subset of, Internet providers and users.

Meanwhile, the InterNIC's action against me, and its policy, clearly does not reflect the fact that parodies, or social and political commentary, which may include trademarks or portions of copyrighted material, are strongly protected forms of speech in the United States, and its action here may have interfered with my right to create and display such works.

I now understand that the InterNIC is considering an arbitrary rewrite of its policy, again without obtaining the input of many affected groups and individuals.

Anyone interested in participating in an organization dedicated to promoting the interests of the small or individual domain name holder, and to aid in the creation of a sane domain name policy, is invited to mail me at domains@sadie.digex.net.