whois.internic.net

Hi William,

try:

whois -h rs.internic.net as1234
Schickentanz, Alfred (AS1234) alfred@WELL.COM
   Immortality Systems
   13 Main Dock
   Sausalito, CA 94965
   (415) 332-1266
[snip...]

or you're welcome to try our server for internet routing
information:

whois -h whois.ra.net as4557
aut-num: AS4557
as-name: TEXAS-GIGAPOP
descr: Texas GigaPOP AS
as-in: from AS145 10 accept ANY AND NOT {0.0.0.0/0}
as-in: from AS8 10 accept AS8
as-in: from AS7276 10 accept AS7276
as-out: to AS145 announce AS-TEXASGIGAPOP
as-out: to AS8 announce ALL
as-out: to AS7276 announce ALL
admin-c: FG50
tech-c: SB98
notify: sob@academ.com
mnt-by: MAINT-AS4557
changed: sob@academ.com 971114
source: RADB

--Gerald (merit)

Do a dig. whois.internic.net is a CNAME rr pointing to rs.internic.net.
You just caught it at a busy time.