If you are anything like me, you have been using (and have adored) the applications I Want Sandy and Stikkit from Oregon company values of n. Now that Rael Dornfest, founder of values of n, has joined the Twitter team, you can kiss those two useful applications goodbye, at least for now.

Grocio is a new start up in stealth mode right now that is planning to help you save money before you get to the grocery store. Currently they are building a database of stores in the United States and soft launching in limited markets. It’s worth tossing your name into the notification bin if they aren’t in your area yet.

It isn’t often that you get to participate in a unique event that combines on- and off-line interests. When I got the chance to participate in the Twitter Taste Live Online – Only Charity Wine Tasting with Bin Ends Wines in Massachusetts and Humanitas Winery, I jumped at it. Humanitas is a unique winery that focuses on helping local charities through wine – a cause I can fully support.

You probably don’t think of innovation when you think of the American Museum of Natural History. They are working to use social media to change that image, become more competitive in the web 2.0 space, and help effect climate change in the process with the launch of a new Climate Change blog and a FaceBook “Donate Your Status” campaign.

Earlier this weekend, reports started rolling in of a shooting at a Silicon Valley tech startup in the wake of layoffs. It seems that Jing Hua Wu opened fire on SiPort employees after being laid off on Friday, killing chief executive Sid Agrawal, vice president of operations Brian Pugh, and Marilyn Lewis, human resources manager.

Barack Obama is rarely seen on the campaign trail without his Blackberry on his hip, using it to stay in touch with friends, family and advisers, to stay on top of news as it happens, to proofread speeches and more. That may have to change when he takes office in January, however. No sitting president has yet to have a cell phone, PDA, smart phone or laptop in use due to concerns about legal matters and national security issues.

Perhaps taking his cue from the Queen of England being on YouTube, Obama has continued his transparent government theme by starting a new weekly address series on YouTube. He plans to keep the nation apprised of his decisions prior to taking office in January, as well as details on how the transition is going.

Twitter got its start at the SXSW festival in Austin, TX in 2007. Created originally for intracompany project streaming, the little tool was a huge hit right out of the gate, adopted by exponentially growing numbers of users who saw the potential in the simplicity of the tool for network building.

If you are anything like me, you depend on a feed reader to get you through your busy day of technology and other news. Feeds help funnel news, but still ties you to your desk. Tabbloid plans to free your feeds you can read them like a magazine, which is much more digestible for many people.

Last night’s polling results were watched all over the world. The fate of this election would have far reaching implications globally and here in the United States, so the world was tuning in as one-by-one the states reported their counts.

This election has been consistently innovating how we receive our information about candidates and issues. For the first time in history, we are getting almost instantaneous information about voters rights, candidates, various bills and other issues up for vote, campaign finances, rally locations and more.

In this election it is vital that you make sure your vote counts, whoever you are voting for. We have two choices from major parties, and a variety from smaller parties. there are a few things you can do to make sure your vote is not wasted, miscounted or otherwise thrown away in this historic election.

The issue of possible voter fraud has been one that weighs heavily on my mind in recent days. After the debacle of the 2000 election with rampant voter fraud and faulty voting mechanisms, not to mention the 2004 election fiasco, I think all of us want to make sure our vote counts this year.

McCain has less of a technology policy than a “hands off” policy to the way the internet works. Believing in a free and self directed market, the McCain doctrine is one of letting the market direct the need. Is this a true policy, or just a reflection of a man who doesn’t understand technology? Only the McCain camp knows for sure.

Barack Obama has been hailed as the “technology candidate” since he first started campaigning. At first, he was second only to Ron Paul in the use of technology and social media to reach the masses. Now he has far surpassed any efforts Ron Paul and his supporters had made. If he moves from “technology candidate” to “technology president”, what could that mean for us?

12Seconds, CurrentTV and FlixWagon are teaming up on Election Day 2008 to bring microblogging and citizen journalism to the political process. 12Seconds recently teamed up with the BBC and CurrentTV to get the content on the 12Seconds network out to the masses. This furthers that concept with a political slant, encouraging people to document their election Day 2008 experience.

Twitter is finally reaching the mainstream and becoming the go-to method for companies to dip their corporate toes into the social media ocean. Featured everywhere this week from the Wall Street Journal to Business Week, Twitter is hitting the big time.