Yes, this is the virally active video du jour entitled “the History of the Internet“, but I think it’s remarkable explanation. It really explains the evolution of the internet as a electronic network phenomenon that evolved in parallel with telecommunications. Somebody had to explain all that geekiness in 8 minutes because it otherwise would be a dry academic read.

The media buzz on Election 2008 is all about how the internet provides real time updates and commentary much faster than TV and other broadcast media:

Passing of the Torch: TV to Internet – Screenwerk

I’m Ready to Declare the Winner in the 2008 Race – Arianna Huffington (it’s the Internet)

Media groups turn on Web for Election coverage – Reuters

Viewers will be watching the races with TV and PC in tandem. TV provides the pundit and celebrity analysis, and the Internet provides the fastest updates and social commentary. The Internet commentary is often punctuated with comic interpretation of what the TV networks are showing (see Election.Twitter.com to see amusing reactions from the masses).

Tom Steinert Threlkeld @ ZDNet blog Between the Lines is conducting an informal poll:

Here are a few more creative ways to monitor Election coverage:

Add Election results with Firefox add-on RSS Ticker – creates a “ticker tape” of real time news feeds from the online news media sources.

Google has a real time Election Gallery available for embedding into blogs. It is a cool mashup that makes a blog an Election media site so I put it up at the top of this post. Every election monitoring application should have such a simple embed to proliferate their brand.

The Internet is no longer a novelty. With the PC as a household media hub, users are demanding transparent, non-arrogant, fulfilling services from internet service providers. By doing so, they are creating a cultural shift in the way all business is being transacted, offline as well as online. Those businesses who “get it” will prosper.


Net Fatigue by Patrick Kitano is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.