A+Series+of+Tubes+(gadgetpants)

== Overview ==

On July 12th, 2006, The Daily Show brought to light the then current debate in Washington over the concept of net neutrality. Questions were posed relating to increased government control over the internet as well as hashing out the intricacies of corporate internet service providers. The politics were (and perhaps still are) matters of contention and complexity to say the least. Such an issue was then of course prime real estate for John Stewart's socially conscious humor. And keeping true to the nature of his exposition, Stewart let the politicians play an important part in the comedy act. In this case, Stewart directed the issues of internet control to C-SPAN's coverage of Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) who spoke on the functionality and hazards of internet "material." See the clip below. []

As noted above, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee brought to light an incredibly important issue: the internet (being a series of tubes (and NOT a truck)) is always at risk of being sent an internet only to have it appear three days later. The frustration that Ted Stevens expressed must be felt by all who see them selves as victims of having things dumped on them...like a truck for instance. However, most viewers came away with the impression that the only truck being driven was by Ted Stevens into a concrete wall of incomprehension.

== History ==

After its airing in 2006, "A Series of Tubes" received a strong but moderately short-lived meme-status. Various spin-offs of the clip appeared as well as a number of still images utilizing the coined phrase. Various other publications besides the Daily Show were of course privy to the debate and picked up on the humerus attempted explanation by Stevens. The senator, when questioned, defended his use of "tubes" which, ironically, is actually an appropriate term to use colloquially in describing the internet. However, his inability to incorporate the term into a reasonable explanation using English forever earned him a place of comedic ridicule in the online world. Unfortunately, Sen. Ted Stevens died in a plane crash on August 9th, 2010. He was well regarded by Net Neutrality activists for demonstrating that those who sought to control the internet would have been inept in doing so.

==** Data/Research ** ==

A picture: []

A music video: []

Current public policy regarding a free and open internet is still a mater of debate. However, the FCC has actually has acted in the favor of internet users, clamping down on restrictive measures put in place by Internet Service Providers (ISPs, such as Comcast).

==** Opinion ** ==

Coming from the perspective of an avid internet user, things like this make me giggle and feel good about myself.

==** Future Trends? ** ==

Depending on who controls congress, our tubes could either remain open and clear or become trucks...