I thought that went away with the advent of the solid state transistor!

Oh... those tubes. Right.  Just don't go filling them up so your internets don't go through!

Another AppleTV plugin has made its way out of the AwkwardTV crew, but this time, it's another one of them important ones (at least to me). "xdog" has written a plugin for the AppleTV called "A Series of Tubes" that allows you to watch YouTube videos through the Apple TV.

Sounds like a good idea.  Now I just need to get my MythTV box to do the same thing!

Link: YouTube and the Apple TV, playing together at last

xkcd posted a map representing online communities, sized to their respective memberships.

Check out right in the center, just slightly north.  Its...

THE SERIES OF TUBES!

Shoot, I wasn't aware there was a community!  I guess my internets must've gotten delayed or something.

Link: xkcd - A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language - By Randall Munroe

Technorati Tags: series of tubes, xkcd, online community map

So um, here's a take on Net Neutrality that I understand, but I think there's a spot of irony here that's unavoidable.

Net neutrality is both necessary and workable for what I call Jeffersonet, which comprises the “classical”, bandwidth-light parts of the Internet.
...

Network neutrality opponents, however, point to evolving and future
technologies, technically more demanding than what the current Internet
can well support. Their uses are centered on what I call Edisonet
– communication-rich applications such as entertainment, gaming,
telephony, telemedicine, teleteaching, or telemeetings of all kinds.

I'd say you're right about one thing, the comparison to the "new" internet to Edison.  If history also has anything to say about Edison, it was that he was a litigious bastard, who tried to sue and bring down any "competitors" that he could.  Go ahead and look up the battle between himself and Nikola Tesla. Among others.

Fact: Did you know that the lightbulb as we know it today, along with the entire AC power distribution system was not brought about by Edison, but by Mr. Westinghouse?  Edison was an ardent advocate of powering the grid on DC, which would have proved nearly impossible, and his lightbulb was a DC powered creation, operating on sheer heat alone.

So, "Edisonet,"  learn from history.  Eventually you will be replaced with something better, and easier to implement, operate, and maintain.  Your "Unneutral" Net will be about as feasible (and useful) as a DC power grid.

Link: The Monash Report»Blog Archive » The two Internets, Jeffersonet and Edisonet, and why they need to be regulated differently

Believe it or not there are actually laws governing this wild-west region known as "the internets."  So step right back and hear a tale of the best, though mostly worst laws they've come up with.

Over the past dozen years, the lure of regulating the Internet has proven
irresistible to legislators. For example, in the 109th Congress, almost 1,100
introduced bills referenced the word "Internet." Although this
legislative activity doesn’t always come to fruition, hundreds of Internet
laws have been passed by Congress and the states. This body of work is now large
enough that we can identify some winners and losers. So in the spirit of good
fun, I offer an opinionated list of my personal votes for the best and worst
Internet statutes in the United States.

Link: The Best and Worst Internet Laws > Best Internet Laws

and when you're done, check out the cough intelligent discussion over at /.

Technorati Tags: series of tubes, internet laws

What? A post!? Here?

Looks like even the big (well, OK smallerish kinda) media boys don't want the tel/cableco's getting their filthy hands all over their internets, either!

Rep. Edward Markey, who chairs the House Subcommittee on
Telecommunications and the Internet, said if Internet providers are
allowed to start charging fees for preferential treatment then it will
stifle innovation across many industries, not just music.

"This is nothing more than a new bottleneck fee, a corporate broadband
tax that will discriminate against less powerful voices and those
unable or unwilling to pay such discriminatory fees," he said during
the teleconference.

Couldn't have said it better myself.  And this from one of Sen. Stevens cohorts in Congress no less! Maybe there is hope!

Link: Musicians: Keep the Web neutral - CNN.com

Technorati Tags: series of tubes, net neutrality, rock the net