What is 230 / 8-11
Ok, I’m sure you’ve seen the ads, and with a little bit of speculation and a lot of time reading news sites prior, I think I have the answer.
The commercials are on a green background with a power plug that smiles and the number 23 appears on it. Soon after, 8-11 appears below it as if it’s some kind of date.
I’ve read numerous posts on CNN, Reuters, TheRegister and several others that the Feds were shooting for a “230 miles per tank” goal for fuel efficiency and I believe that one manufacturer is going to launch something on August 11. (two days from this posting)
It is my theory, backed up with many other people’s theories and compounded by news articles from reputable sources and CNN that this is a new viral ad campaign by GM/Chevrolet of the launching of their new Hybrid or EV vehicle, the Volt.
Of course, this is speculation.
So here’s what I know.
www.whatis230.com was registered July 30, 2009 and isn’t set to expire until July 30,2011.
Here’s the WHOIS information:
Whois Server Version 2.0
Domain names in the .com and .net domains can now be registered
with many different competing registrars. Go to http://www.internic.net
for detailed information.
Domain Name: WHATIS230.COM
Registrar: MARKMONITOR INC.
Whois Server: whois.markmonitor.com
Referral URL: http://www.markmonitor.com
Name Server: NS1.MARKMONITOR.COM
Name Server: NS2.MARKMONITOR.COM
Name Server: NS3.MARKMONITOR.COM
Name Server: NS4.MARKMONITOR.COM
Name Server: NS5.MARKMONITOR.COM
Name Server: NS6.MARKMONITOR.COM
Name Server: NS7.MARKMONITOR.COM
Status: clientDeleteProhibited
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Updated Date: 31-jul-2009
Creation Date: 30-jul-2009
Expiration Date: 30-jul-2011
>>> Last update of whois database: Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:41:09 UTC <<<
NOTICE: The expiration date displayed in this record is the date the
registrar's sponsorship of the domain name registration in the registry is
currently set to expire. This date does not necessarily reflect the expiration
date of the domain name registrant's agreement with the sponsoring
registrar. Users may consult the sponsoring registrar's Whois database to
view the registrar's reported date of expiration for this registration.
TERMS OF USE: You are not authorized to access or query our Whois
database through the use of electronic processes that are high-volume and
automated except as reasonably necessary to register domain names or
modify existing registrations; the Data in VeriSign Global Registry
Services' ("VeriSign") Whois database is provided by VeriSign for
information purposes only, and to assist persons in obtaining information
about or related to a domain name registration record. VeriSign does not
guarantee its accuracy. By submitting a Whois query, you agree to abide
by the following terms of use: You agree that you may use this Data only
for lawful purposes and that under no circumstances will you use this Data
to: (1) allow, enable, or otherwise support the transmission of mass
unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations via e-mail, telephone,
or facsimile; or (2) enable high volume, automated, electronic processes
that apply to VeriSign (or its computer systems). The compilation,
repackaging, dissemination or other use of this Data is expressly
prohibited without the prior written consent of VeriSign. You agree not to
use electronic processes that are automated and high-volume to access or
query the Whois database except as reasonably necessary to register
domain names or modify existing registrations. VeriSign reserves the right
to restrict your access to the Whois database in its sole discretion to ensure
operational stability. VeriSign may restrict or terminate your access to the
Whois database for failure to abide by these terms of use. VeriSign
reserves the right to modify these terms at any time.
The Registry database contains ONLY .COM, .NET, .EDU domains and
Registrars.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MarkMonitor, the Global Leader in Enterprise Brand Protection
Domain Management
Online Trademark Protection
Online Channel Protection
AntiPhishing Solutions
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The Data in MarkMonitor.com's WHOIS database is provided by MarkMonitor.com
for information purposes, and to assist persons in obtaining information
about or related to a domain name registration record. MarkMonitor.com
does not guarantee its accuracy. By submitting a WHOIS query, you agree
that you will use this Data only for lawful purposes and that, under no
circumstances will you use this Data to: (1) allow, enable, or otherwise
support the transmission of mass unsolicited, commercial advertising or
solicitations via e-mail (spam); or (2) enable high volume, automated,
electronic processes that apply to MarkMonitor.com (or its systems).
MarkMonitor.com reserves the right to modify these terms at any time.
By submitting this query, you agree to abide by this policy.
Registrant:
Domain admin
DNStination, Inc.
303 Second Street
San Francisco ca 94107
US
admin@dnstinations.com +1.4155319335 Fax:
Domain Name: whatis230.com
Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com
Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.markmonitor.com
Administrative Contact:
Domain admin
DNStination, Inc.
303 Second Street
San Francisco ca 94107
US
admin@dnstinations.com +1.4155319335 Fax:
Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Domain admin
DNStination, Inc.
303 Second Street
San Francisco ca 94107
US
admin@dnstinations.com +1.4155319335 Fax:
Created on..............: 2009-07-30.
Expires on..............: 2011-07-30.
Record last updated on..: 2009-08-03.
Domain servers in listed order:
ns5.markmonitor.com
ns4.markmonitor.com
ns1.markmonitor.com
ns2.markmonitor.com
ns7.markmonitor.com
ns6.markmonitor.com
ns3.markmonitor.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MarkMonitor, the Global Leader in Enterprise Brand Protection
Domain Management
Online Trademark Protection
Online Channel Protection
AntiPhishing Solutions
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, so we get it, they're trying to hide their identity. So on to the network mess. A traceroute reveals some interesting information... They're hosted at Rackspace!
5 te-0-1-0-5-cr01.dallas.tx.ibone.comcast.net (68.86.91.193) 32.591 ms 32.847 ms 33.409 ms
6 rackspace-bbr.dfw1.comcast.net (75.149.228.130) 33.721 ms 32.073 ms 31.999 ms
7 edge3-backbone1.dfw1.rackspace.net (72.3.128.250) 30.491 ms 20.043 ms 19.916 ms
8 vlan905.core5.dfw1.rackspace.com (67.192.56.229) 36.017 ms 36.210 ms 36.226 ms
9 67.192.56.71 (67.192.56.71) 24.688 ms 25.253 ms 25.364 ms
A DNS search reveals that whatis230.com's IP is 72.32.147.137 and according to their HTTP headers are running Linux w/Apache 2.2:
#1 Server Response: http://whatis230.com
HTTP Status Code: HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Accept-Ranges: bytes
Set-Cookie: X-Mapping-caklakng=65BE8C9EE459FADABC27AA1230B712F3; path=/
Content-Length: 2912
Date: Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:49:36 GMT
Connection: close
Last-Modified: Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:41:53 GMT
Server: Apache/2.2
Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
Keep-Alive: timeout=5, max=100
An examination of their site yields this javascript. I don't know javascript, so feel free to interpret:
$lt; script type="text/javascript" >
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
< /script>
< script type="text/javascript" >
try {
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-10035141-1");
pageTracker._trackPageview('WHATIS230 | HOMEPAGE | INDEX');
} catch(err) {} < /script >
It looks like google code, but I don't speak JS fluently.
So, what do you think it is? I welcome any thoughts, comments, etc.