Can the Internet handle big breaking news?

[Pat Coyle]

News.com - The statistics are amazing: Akamai said worldwide Internet traffic was 11 percent higher than normal during the peak hours between 3 p.m. PDT and 4 p.m., when news of Michael Jackson's death was breaking. That traffic forced even Google to its knees for a brief period of time Thursday afternoon. (more)

Can a system that has trouble keeping up with ever-increasing demand for its services be considered a reliable source of information when a true crisis emerges?
Share your thoughts here

[Sage McGreen]

According to Cnet Google thought the traffic was an attack. Google wasn't overwhelmed, it was an automatic preventive measure. Google thought it was dealing with a bigger crisis, an attack. This is sound logic - YES?
And from what I understood about the other CNET post it was simply about supply and demand.
Information is a commodity. I know there are several web bot projects that matrix trends for future events.
It's always been good business to be psychic.
The public had to wait on their MJ searches. Instant notification gratification is what I call it.
The TMZ, Perez Hilton and Twitter fails aren't a big surprise. People are just afraid they're going to miss something.