WHOIS

WHOIS (pronounced as the phrase who is) is a query and response protocol that is widely used for querying databases that store the registered users or assignees of an Internet resource, such as a domain name, an IP address block, or an autonomous system, but is also used for a wider range of other information. The protocol stores and delivers database content in a human-readable format. The WHOIS protocol is documented in RFC 3912.

History

When the Internet was emerging out of the ARPANET, there was only one organization that handled all domain registrations, which was DARPA itself. The process of registration was established in RFC 920. WHOIS was standardized in the early 1980s to look up domains, people and other resources related to domain and number registrations. As all registration was done by one organization at that time, one centralized server was used for WHOIS queries. This made looking up such information very easy.

Responsibility of domain registration remained with DARPA as the ARPANET became the Internet during the 1980s. UUNET began offering domain registration service; however they simply handled the paperwork which they forwarded to the DARPA Network Information Center (NIC). Then the National Science Foundation directed that management of Internet domain registration would be handled by commercial, third-party entities. InterNIC was formed in 1993 under contract with the NSF, consisting of Network Solutions, Inc., General Atomics and AT&T. The General Atomics contract was canceled after several years due to performance issues.

Skydance Media

Skydance Media (formerly known as Skydance Productions) is an American film and television production company based at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2010, the company raised $350 million to co-produce and co-finance films with Paramount Pictures. Skydance is responsible for feature-length films including True Grit, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Star Trek Into Darkness, World War Z, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Terminator Genisys and Star Trek Beyond.

In 2013, Skydance launched Skydance Television, hiring Marcy Ross as President. The production company's first television series, Manhattan, premiered on WGN America on July 27, 2014. Their second series, Grace and Frankie, starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, and created by Marta Kauffman, premiered on Netflix on May 8, 2015.

Skydance’s future feature film slate includes Star Trek Beyond, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back and Geostorm. The company’s current television series are Grace and Frankie on Netflix and Manhattan on WGN America.

In Search of Solid Ground

In Search of Solid Ground is the second studio album by American rock band Saosin released on September 8, 2009. The recording sessions for In Search of Solid Ground saw Saosin recording with multiple producers such as Butch Walker (with whom they recorded five songs), John Feldman, and Lucas from Matt Squire's production team. Five songs off the album will be produced by Beau Burchell and Chris Sorenson of Saosin.

Three of the songs on the album are re-recordings of tracks from The Grey EP (released in late 2008). "I Keep My Secrets Safe" is a re-recording of "Keep Secrets", with an entirely new chorus. "Why Can't You See?" keeps the title of the song from the EP, and "The Worst of Me" is "Love Maker", the new name taken from a line in the chorus of the song.

The original album artwork was revealed on July 13, 2009 by Alternative Press. The cover was immediately met with a negative reaction from fans causing Saosin to reevaluate their decision two days before the album was pressed. The band tried to create something "high concept" with the original art, but the negative reaction helped the band realize that they "always keep things simple and strong and let the music speak for itself."