A domain that I had with GoDaddy that expired about a month and a half ago STILL resolves to GoDaddy's ad-filled park page. How can GD be allowed to do this? Once a domain name expires, shouldn't it not be allowed to resolve to anything at all?
I suppose Godaddy has paid out to get the domain and they own it. However maybe once someone wants it they need to hand it over?
After domains expire, they aren't automatically put back for sale. Many registrars don't release it for around 60 days, to both allow the original owner to try and reregister it, and so that they can make money off of it.
ICANN allows for a 45 day window for expired domains to be renewed by the original owner and thus the registrar that originally had the domain keeps the domain until it officially expires.
http://www.icann.org/en/registrars/eddp.htm