In the domain world, opportunists are everywhere, and they work quickly.

A month or so ago people were buying up domain names like AnnaNicoleBaby.com, DannieLynnDaddy.com and DannieLynnsDaddy.com to take advantage of the media attention being paid to the Anna Nicole Smith story.

This month, shock jock Don Imus got canned for calling the Rutgers womens basketball team a bunch of "nappy headed hoes" and sure enough, within seconds of his faux pas domain names like NappyHeadedHoes.com and NappyHoes.com were gobbled up.

The motivation behind these kinds of registrations generally becomes apparent in the way the domain name is put to use. As of this moment, the domain name NappyHoes.com resolves to ScarletKnights.com, the Rutgers University Athletic Department website. The whois for the domain indicates the registrant, or administrative contact at least, as one Tina Smith, a budding domain speculator. I say this because Tina went to the trouble of indicating that this particular domain name is for sale in the field where she ought to have been indicating the name of the registrant.

It seems Tina would prefer that any offers to purchase the domain be relayed in care of her Yahoo email address as the phone contact information listed in the whois is obviously bogus. 

I wouldn't worry about it too much though Tina, because I doubt the phone is going to be ringing off the hook with offers to purchase this one. Best of luck in the domain business, you're gonna need it!

Focusing in on trends is certainly a good way to source domains but registrations like these are simply too oportunistic to have any real or lasting value; and some just push the envelope too far.

Today's registrations included VirginaTechMassacre.com (which I note is being monetized and has it's DNS set to NS2.This-Domain-Might-Be-For-Sale.com)  VirginaTechShooting.com and VirginiaTechShootings.com. 

To register domains like these in the midst of a tragedy, never mind the wake of one just doesn't sit well with me. Perhaps one or more of these domans will be developed into some kind of  tribute site for the victims. I have no way of knowing that now but the fact that any of these any domain names could be monetized is in my opinion a concern that should be addressed. What possible commercial (.com) value do names like these hold and which advertisers are knowingly paying for or want traffic emminating from domains like thes? Few, if any!

To a real domainer names like these are worthless in every way. They have no resale value and they should not be monetized. Its one thing to be an opportunist, but to take advantage in cases of gross misfortune, to capitalize off of the suffering and misery of innocent victims is as low as it gets.