Recently in Politics Category

The Iranian government has placed tight controls on media organizations as protests over the recent presidential election have grown. But this has not stopped news and images from emerging out of Iran.

Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are providing up-to-the-second news. Though, as Foreign Policy magazine warns, there are fakers and provocateurs out there.

Even Wikipedia had to lock its entry on the June 12 elections, citing vandalism.

Still images are constantly surfacing on Flickr, Picasa and Photobucket of events in Iran and sympathetic protests worldwide.

The international journalists association Reporters Without Borders provides news on press crackdowns and the whereabouts of journalists on its Iran page.

YouTube is teeming with videos, but one in particular may well emerge as the iconic image of the election protests.

In what's tagged the "Neda video," a young woman lays dying after reportedly being gunned down by a government militia member. However, The Associated Press said it could not verify the location, date or the content of the video, which is explicit.

The Associated Press tells us how to stay on the money trail as the government begins to spend the money allotted in stimulus bill President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday:

President Barack Obama promised taxpayers they could track each of the billions and billions of dollars in spending Congress has approved to stimulate the nation's flailing economy and save its banks.

Obama, whose presidential campaign harnessed technology to identify supporters and track voters, already has rewritten the rules on how technology can be used to shape public opinion.

"We're actually going to set up something called Recovery.gov. This is going to be a special Web site we set up, that gives you a report on where the money is going in your community, how it's being spent, how many jobs it's being created so that all of you can be the eyes and ears," Obama told an audience last week in Indiana.

"And if you see that a project is not working the way it's supposed to, you'll be able to get on that Web site and say, 'You know, I thought this was supposed to be going to school construction, but I haven't noticed any changes being made.' And that will help us track how this money is being spent."

It didn't work exactly as Obama suggested, however, when the Web site went live Tuesday as Obama signed the $787 billion economic stimulus package into law.

The site breaks down the massive bill into broad categories, and provides state-by-state estimates of jobs that will be created, but it does not provide any details on spending by community.

White House aides say they will provide more information as soon as they can, but they cannot predict which specific projects -- this bridge or that highway, for instance -- will be included, because states make those decisions.

The problem facing the administration is that it's impossible to put on the Web site decisions that have not yet been made.

"They're thinking the right way and moving the right direction," said Gary Bass, the founder of OMB Watch, which tracks federal spending. "But we won't be happy, nonetheless."

At least for now, there's no way to track spending down to the town level, as Obama promised, especially on statewide projects such as installing high-speed Internet lines to rural areas that don't have street addresses, let alone local governments.

Obama aides say they will post such information as they can, but they acknowledge it's not going to be announcing things at a micro level. Money for students in a metropolitan area, maybe; how one school district spent that money, no way.

The administration also has promised that the public will be able to track how the separate, $700 billion bank bailout fund bill was spent, using a Treasury Department Web site -- financialstability.gov. But while more than half that money already has been disbursed, the site still contains no details of the spending, just press releases, a fact sheet and a video of a speech by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.

The White House has a goal of committing 75 percent of the economic stimulus package within the first three months, and spending three-quarters of it within 18 months.

NEW YORK ... End war, forever. Make the planet greener. Please help my dad find work. Make it rain candy!

Thousands of kids detailed their hopes and expectations for President Barack Obama in letters and drawings as part of a worldwide project, with 150 entries chosen for a free e-book released today, Presidents Day, at www.kidthing.com/dmp.

Most had tall orders for the new guy in the White House: Seven-year-old Aaron Van Blerkom's letter was simpler ... but no less problematic.

``Dear Mr. Obama,'' the Pasadena, first-grader began, ``Please Make it rain candy!''

The ``Dear Mr. President'' project was a joint effort between the National Education Association and kidthing.com. A special hardcopy edition of the book will be sent to the White House for Obama.

The letters were written in January at inauguration time. Kids ages 5 to 12 were eligible to participate. Submissions flooded kidthing, including some from other nations.

Lawrence Hitchcock, chief executive officer of the Web site, said more than 4,500 letters were considered for the book on a heart-wrenching range of topics that don't stop at an end to the war and climate change.

``We had, `My dad's out of work, fix the company, please get more jobs,''' Hitchcock said. ``There were Latino kids saying, `Please change the immigration laws so my dad can come back from Mexico.' This is a profound snapshot of a social narrative of young kids during an important moment in history. It really kind of stunned us what came in through the front door.''

Another of the winners, 12-year-old Destiny McLaurin, a sixth-grader from Medford, N.Y., had friendship on her mind.

``I hope Mr. Barack Obama will one day create a holiday for children from around the world'' she wrote.

In interviews, some of the letter-writers remained optimistic that ``Yes We Can'' was more than just a campaign slogan.

``I feel very proud because I know he'll be able to make a change in the country and we'll be a lot more happier,'' Destiny said. ``I think he should make people feel more welcome, people who don't really get along with other people.''

An 11-year-old boy from Ohio drew himself in tears at the side of a relative. His dream, he wrote, is that a ``cure for cancer will be found'' with Obama in the White House, ``Because it took my aunt to a better place on father's day.''

Another child drew Obama as the ``new sunrise of America.'' One made Earth and labeled it ``Obamaland,'' and still another created the president's face as half dark and half light skin tones with the words ``United We Are One.''

Sasha's drawing is an all-green globe. Her enthusiasm for Obama and his ability to get the job done speaks volumes: ``I just think he's really, really awesome.''

-- The Associated Press

Wondering what's going on in Sacramento? You can get a first-hand view of how the state government is run and get paid for it with a California Senate fellowship.

Eighteen positions are open in the program, which provides an 11-month job in the Capitol office of a senator or Senate policy committee. Fellows receive a stipend of $1,972 per month plus health and dental benefits. You'd also get 12 graduate credits from California State University, Sacramento Center for California Studies.

"The Senate Fellows program is a great way to learn about the legislative process and public policy in California," said Sen. Darrell Steinberg, chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. "The program provides valuable on-the-job training and an opportunity to help solve the problems facing California."

Fellows get involved in weekly seminars with senators, staff, journalists, lobbyists and government officials. Many of them go on to staff jobs in the Legislature and executive branch, and others move back and forth between the public and private sectors during their careers, according to the program. Some become elected officials.

Interested? Here's what you need to do:

• Applicants must be at least 20 years old and a graduate of a four-year college by Sept. 1. There is no preferred major.


• People with advanced degrees and those in midcareer are encouraged to apply.


• No political or legislative experience is required, but applicants should have a strong interest in public policy and politics.


• Applications are available from state senators' offices or the Senate Rules Committee, State Capitol, Room 405, Sacramento, CA 95814. Brochures and applications are also available by calling 916-651-4160 or on the Senate Web site .


• The deadline to apply is Feb. 25. After an initial screening and a panel interview for semifinalists, the 18 fellows will be chosen by May. The program begins in late October.

Obama's team often talked about creating a transparent, participatory government. Here are four ways you can interact with the president:

Give him your advice
The Obama team's Web site, change.gov, has several ways to share your views. At the Citizens Briefing Book, you can weigh in on an issue or see what other Americans have said and rank their opinions. The ideas with the highest rankings will be put in a "Citizen's Briefing Book" for Obama.
You can ask questions at the Open for Questions section. More than 76,000 questions have been asked and some have already been answered.

Peek behind the scenes
Check out the Obama team's photos at www.flickr.com/photos/changedotgov to see events like Obama's meet-and-greet with the Supreme Court and Malia and Sasha's first day of school.

But there's more
If you think those projects are something, you might like personaldemocracy.com and techpresident.com. The blogs will keep you up to date on how politicians and the government use technology. You'll see, for example, a running total of Obama's Facebook friends.

Let Obama give you some love for a change
Request an official greeting from the White House. Here's how:
You have to be a U.S. citizen.
You have to be 80 or older to get a birthday card, and he doesn't want to hear about your anniversary unless you've toughed it out for 50 years or more.
To get a congratulations for a baby's birth, the child must have been born during Obama's administration. You can also get a presidential congratulations for a wedding, Eagle Scout or Girl Scout Gold Awards, bar and bat mitzvahs or an equivalent occasion.

Write up the following:

• Name and home address of honoree(s)


• Form of address (Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr., etc.)


• Exact date of occasion (month, day, year)


• Age (birthdays) or years of marriage


• The requestor's name and phone number


• Mailing instructions if other than to honoree's address


• For a baby's birth, send the date of birth and full names and address of the parents

Send the request to:
The White House
Attn: Greetings Office
Washington, D.C. 20502-0039

Send your request at least six weeks in advance of the event date, except for births. Expect your greeting about 10 days before the event.

By The Associated Press

Ladies, picture this: You search for weeks before finding the perfect gown for an inaugural ball. You're thrilled; its silhouette and color are exactly what you had imagined.

Then, on the night of the fete, you spot another woman wearing the same dress.

Oh, the horror!

A new Web site, www.dressregistry.com, hopes to limit these social nightmares by allowing you to "register" the gown you're wearing to a specific inaugural ball. It includes a place to detail the color, length, designer, neckline description and other distinguishing characteristics. You can even upload a photo.

The genius behind it? A man.

Andrew Jones got the idea after his wife traveled from their home in West Palm Beach, Fla., to New York City to buy a gown for a charity ball in their hometown -- solely to avoid seeing the same dress at the event.

"I kind of put two and two together and I said, 'I think there's a way technology can help us here,' " said Jones, a 42-year-old automotive industry consultant.

The dress duplication problem has long caused anxiety among women.

Hollywood's A-list stars know their garb may end up on a magazine page -- with a side-by-side comparison to someone who wore it better. Jones cited first lady Laura Bush's "Oh, no!" moment at the 2006 Kennedy Center Honors, when she was one of four women wearing the same red Oscar de la Renta gown. Bush quickly changed into something different.

"If it could happen to the first lady, it could happen to anyone," Jones said. "With the inauguration, it just all came together in my mind. I thought it would be a great time to roll it out."

At specialty stores in the Washington area, some thought the Web site a novel idea but suggested it may not be foolproof.

"Nothing's exclusive anymore," said LaShea Green, couture buyer at Saks Jandel in Chevy Chase, Md., who had not yet heard of Jones' Web site. "I don't care how much you register, there's going to be someone (at an event) who didn't register."

So far, inaugural partygoers have registered about 100 gowns for more than two dozen official and unofficial events, including the Constitution Ball, the American Indian Inaugural Ball and the Green Inaugural Ball hosted by Al Gore. As the inaugural festivities near, the registries keep growing.

"I've had people self-registering their events every day," said Jones, adding that he's recorded some 300,000 hits and more than 10,000 unique visitors since the Web site launched Dec. 1.

Heading to D.C. for Obama's inauguration?

Good luck.

A four-night stay at a fancy hotel is going for as much as $40,000, and even those spaces are filling up fast.

If you're planning to go -- or think you might want to try to go -- here are some tips and resources for finding a room, a ride and a ticket.

Hotels
Most downtown hotels are already filled, but there are still some rooms available in outlying areas of the city and the suburbs. Many hotels are requiring three- and four-night minimums. Travelers can check Web sites such as Expedia and Orbitz for deals as well as www.washington.org. "You really want to get at it right now," advises William Hanbury with Destination DC, the city's tourism bureau. Groups requiring 10 or more rooms can call Destination DC at 800-422-8644.

Other lodging options
Hanbury says people are coming up with innovative approaches such as sleeping in church basements, school cafeterias or on friends' couches. Some D.C. residents have posted ads on Web sites such as Craigslist offering to rent out their homes.

Transportation
Many streets downtown and around the National Mall will be closed on Inauguration Day, so plan to use public transportation whenever possible. Your best options include Metrorail and Metrobus and the DC Circulator bus. You can avoid waiting in line in Metro stations by pre-purchasing all-day Metro passes online. Be aware that security is heightened. For example, your bags might be checked on Metro and Amtrak trains.

Tickets
Tickets to the inauguration ceremony are free -- but sure to be scarce -- and will be distributed through members of Congress in January. Contact your senator or representative to request a ticket. Here are the Web sites of House members who represent the South Bay:
Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach)
Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles)
Jane Harman (D-El Segundo)
Laura Richardson (D-Carson)

Congressional offices will get the tickets about a week before the Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony; in-person pickup is required. Be wary of any Web site or broker claiming to sell tickets; Congress is the only way to go.

Newsstands from Seattle to New York quickly sold out of Wednesday's papers declaring Barack Obama the nation's first black president as jubilant customers picked up two, three or even 30 copies as keepsakes.

The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune were among papers that restarted their printing presses to produce hundreds of thousands of additional copies across the country.

Entrepreneurs were seeking as much as $200 for The New York Times on eBay.com on Wednesday.

John Penley, a white man who recalled drinking out of the "wrong" water fountain as a child in North Carolina, searched New York's Lower East Side on Wednesday for papers to mark an event he never dreamed possible in his lifetime.

"There was one copy left at the bodega around the corner, and people were actually fighting for it," said Penley, a retired photojournalist. "I can't find a copy of any paper anywhere."

In Miami's diverse South Beach neighborhood, Books & Books manager Vivienne Evans said customers lined up even before the store opened.

"People were breaking down the door," she said.

In the South Bay, the Daily Breeze sold out, and -- together with its sister paper the Long Beach Press-Telegram -- sold an extra 25,000 copies Wednesday.

Say what you want about the Internet replacing printed newspapers, but saving a copy of a Web page on a disk isn't the same.

"What it really shows is there's a unique value to print," said Steve Hills, The Washington Post's president and general manager. "It's the ability to look at the whole thing and have a piece of history in your hands."

If you didn't make it to a newsstand in time to get your piece of history, it's not too late. The Breeze is one of many papers across the country selling reprints of its Wednesday front page.

When you order your copy, you can also buy T-shirts and coffee mugs decorated with the historic coverage.

Twitter, which dared to ask the world "What are you doing?", is now asking the multitudes to give on-the-ground reports of today's votes.

Twitter Vote Report, http://twittervotereport.com, gives up-to-the-minute reports of the 2008 election at the voting precincts.

Specifically, it asks users to submit information about how ballot locations are running.

Cell-phone-wielding Tweeters can text in reports of how long lines are and whether there are problems with machines or registration rolls.

To see how to enter information to the report, the codes and instruction videos are available at http://twittervotereport.com/how-to-help/.

If worse comes to worst, instructions on how to get help from the Election Protection Coalition are available at www.866ourvote.org.

The nonpartisan group gathers and provides information on voting irregularities and has election rules on its Web site.

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Twitters from the newsroom

As if the privilege of participating in a democratic government wasn't reward enough, some of your favorite sweets dealers are giving folks incentives to vote today.

Show off your "I Voted" sticker at a Krispy Kreme shop Tuesday and you'll get a free star-shaped doughnut -- with red, white and blue sprinkles! The South Bay's doughnut hole is at 1199 W. Artesia Blvd. in Gardena.

Ben & Jerry's shops will hand out a free ice cream scoop to customers Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. The South Bay's cremery is at 350 N. Sepulveda Blvd. in Manhattan Beach. And to cash in on that sweet deal, you don't even have to vote. Just show up! But if you're out getting ice cream anyway, why not stop by the polls while you're at it?

And if you need a little caffeine to get you a long night of watching the returns, head over to Starbucks, which is giving away free 12 oz. cups of brewed coffee.

California's Elections Code has rules against rewarding people for voting or not voting, but a Starbucks spokesperson said that the coffee giveaway is being framed "more in the tradition of democracy and celebrating it." She said the firm was not violating the law because "we are using the honor system and not asking for any proof that anyone voted."