I don’t regularly read the newspapers (print) but once in a while, I’d skim through some copies in the hopes of getting some scoop. Who would imagine I’d stumble upon yet another editorial lapse with Manila Bulletin.
If you have a copy of the June 16, 2007 (Monday) edition of Manila Bulletin, go over the Technews section on page D5. At the top right corner of the page, you will see a website feature for Parents Preview (www.parentspreview.com). What actually got my attention was the uncanny familiarity of the website screen shot. It does look like a domain parking landing page. Being in the domains and web hosting business for years, I can spot these type of sites from a mile away.
The entire page is covered with sponsored links!
The MB reviewed the site and actually thought it was a real website for Parenting. These landing pages are used by domain squatters to make money off of people who mistype URLs or get traffic from spam comments. Some Domain Registars also show this page right after a legit domain has expired. Yes, there is money to be made from domaineering domaining.
If you check the WHOIS of the domain, it is owned by Texas International Property Associates (TIPA) and is hosted by Hitfarm.com which provides custom designed landing pages with relevant, sponsored links intelligently placed by their industry leading Proprietary Keyword System. Likewise, a quick search for the name of the company of Google will show results about a recent law suit and another feature article about domain squatting.
I couldn’t find a copy of the article on the web version but I can only imagine how many readers were led into that site. Well, that’s more money for TIPA I guess.
The average web surfer might be fooled by these landing pages but a columnist for a major print publication? Where are the Tech Editors?
P.S.
It is possible, as commenter vance pointed out, the feature writer was reviewing the correct website but wrote the wrong domain in his/her article. It’s supposed to be parentpreviews.com and not parentspreview.com, thus the layout artist/designer got the screen shot of the wrong website. Well, that’s basically a real-world proof that domaining really works.
P.S.
ajay of MB left a comment that it’s most likely a typo error and added that the tech editor wasn’t around when this issue was published. The culprit of this bo-bo is most likely the layout artist who took the screenshot. Yes, everybody makes typo mistakes, we’re only in fact humans. Blogs like this one, make tons of typhos too (oops another typo there)! Btw, this entry wasn’t done to incite rebellion or anything. 
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OMG, that’s hilarious. I think the writer just wanted to get it over with and wrote this poorly researched piece. The fact that the tech editor let this one slip proves he’s not supposed to be editing tech.
Wait, how the hell could they have reviewed that website?
I’d fire the person who put that in there just because you can’t possibly make a good review out of any domain squatted website.
Says a lot about the newspaper. Or at least their “tech” section.
for me that’s just a waste of space in the newspaper, but who am i to judge. just like Mr. Abe said “Where are the Tech Editors?”
It only shows that he is ”cramming”
Cramming just to put something on the newspaper without further research.
Careless!
WTF!!!! Idiots! No offense…
Abe, it should be “domaining” not “domaineering.”
this is a stupid mistake by manila bulletin. I search google and found out that its
“parentpreviews.com” not parentspreview.com hence people will actually get that page.
oh yes we are all too familiar with these domain squatters. How could their tech editors not know about this?
That’s so funny! But for Manila Bulletin, it’s not. They should look for a better person to do the editing for their Technews segment. It could have been a typographical error but as an editor, that’s part of the job - making sure that the article is error free and in this situation, it includes making sure that the domain name was correct.
You have to be really careful with domain names because missing or adding one letter can lead you to a totally different site.
haha, whatta shame…obviously, the tech editor doesn’t know how to tell the difference between actual website and a landing page.