More to the Web than meets the mouse

Well, as best as I can tell, I had a run of bad Internet luck last

week. And I certainly heard about it.

Finding just a few of the Newport-Mesa candidates’ Web sites was

like only pointing out that Newport has the Balboa Pier. I missed

something pretty obvious.

In other words, there are plenty more.

In Costa Mesa, Mayor Linda Dixon can be found at

www.linda-dixon.com. The highlight of her site is the voting record

link, which goes into more detail than almost anyone would probably

want -- exactly the kind of massive amount of information for which

the Internet is the perfect host.

In the Newport-Mesa Unified School District race, incumbent Wendy

Leece has a simple Web site at www.smartvoter.org/2002/-

11/05/ca/or/vote/leece_w/.

When informing me of its existence, she said that she determined

the basic information provided by the smartvoter.org site was

sufficient for her needs. In a straightforward manner, it outlines

her priorities and endorsements.

In the Newport Beach City Council race, there are a handful of

additional Internet locales to discover.

Ron Winship, who is also running for the school board -- and the

water board -- has his political site at

www.cuttingedge-atalkshow.com. It has links to a variety of political

pundits, including those on the right, Bob Dornan and Gil Ferguson,

and a local left-leaner, UCI political science professor Mark

Petracca. It does not, however, lay out a clear platform on what

Winship might do specifically on Newport-Mesa issues. Good links to

other political Web sites, though.

While the Greenlight movement has its own Web site, its endorsed

candidates also are floating about the Web.

Madelene Arakelian, running on the Peninsula, can be found at

www.madelenearakelian.com. It includes her background, her stance on

issues and a helpful news and events link that can keep those

interested in attending forums up-to-date.

Fellow Greenlight candidate Richard Taylor’s Web site is at

www.taylormadefornewport.com. The best thing about this site: the

photo of Taylor under what one only can assume is a plane flying at

John Wayne. He doesn’t look too happy about it, keeping with his

longtime advocacy for caps at the airport and the need for an airport

at the closed El Toro base. It also presents his other hosts of

issues.

And Greenlighter Dick Nichols’ simple Web site can be found at

www.ranichols.info. It includes a lengthy list of endorsements and

his positions on issues, as well as noting his Greenlight

affiliation.

Finally, there’s the second Peninsula challenger, Marianne Zippi,

who says she had the first candidate site up online. It’s at

www.mzippi.com.

On her site, she points out why she does not have a campaign

statement at the city as well as copies of speeches she’s made at

city forums. The speeches are notable because she includes words she

didn’t have time to say, another perfect example of the good the Web

can do as a source of information.

Those additions help form a more complete list of candidate Web

sites. I can only suspect I’ve still missed some others, even though

I was among those meeting with candidates this week as we work toward

our Pilot endorsements.

Let me know.

* S.J. CAHN is the managing editor. He can be reached at (949)

574-4233 or by e-mail at steven.cahn@latimes.com.