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A Leaguer's Guide to Online Resources

For Members of the League of Women Voters of Alabama
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 clear dot spacer gif yin yang icon Parties, Polls & Commentary
LWV logo gif LWV resources icon General Resources
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and computer resources to get there.
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Note:  Non-League material linked on this web page is not endorsed by the League of Women Voters. It is offered only as example and/or reference.
SEARCH TOOLS

Google
Tips - Use quotation marks around exact phrases, e.g. "public transportation" or "public transit".Use a negative sign to exclude unwanted words or phrases, e.g. immigrants  Tuscaloosa Alabama -lawyer -attorney. Use advanced searches to narrow focus, e.g. by author, publication, or range of publication.

or try Advanced Google Search

Special Google Databases
News - advanced
Scholarly Papers - advanced
Books - advanced
More...

Google Alerts - Get emails automatically sent to you when there are new Google results for your search terms. Results from News, Web, Blogs, and Groups. Use Google Alerts as your personal ongoing media research service.

Other Search Engines


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LWV

NATIONAL
LWVUS Home
LWVUS Take Action
LWVUS for Members (your email address, your password)
Tips: In order to enter the member's area, even if you are a member of the LWV,  you must register if your email address is not in the LWVUS database. If you’re not sure if your email address is in the database, or if you don’t know your password, just try to register, i.e. go to  https://member.lwv.org/PreRegister.asp and provide your first & last name & email address. If your email address is in the system, your password will be emailed to you. If your email address is NOT in the system, then you’ll be asked for your mailing address. The system will check to see if you’re a member, and if so, your password will be emailed to you. Then login with user name (your email address) and password here. Then click on "For Members".

League Email Lists Subscribe to an email list to join the national conversation on a public issue important to you and your League.

STATE
LWVAL Home
LWVAL Legislative Report
Tip:  Use this report to follow the progress of legislation important to LWVAL positions and legislative priorities.  Updated status report is posted weekly during the legislative session.
LWVAL for Members

LOCAL
LWV Baldwin Co.
LWV Gr. Birmingham
LWV East Alabama (Auburn)
LWV Mobile
LWV Montgomery
LWV Gr. Tuscaloosa


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OTHER ORGANIZATIONS


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GOVERNMENT

United States
Congress, Agencies, etc. 
Thomas U.S. legislative information
Judicial Supreme & Lower Fed Courts
Executive White House, Exec. Depts., etc.
Congress.org Take action. Addresses all 3 branches.
USA.gov US gov't official web site

Alabama

ALISON Alabama Legislative System Online
Use ALISON to find bills then track their progress and find out who sponsors the legislation and who needs your advocacy focus. For advice on using ALISON for effective advocacy, see:
"ALISON as League Advocacy Tool:  A quick and dirty overview". Also, see "The Alabama Legislature:  Facts and Issues" on the LWVAL web site.

AL Legislature Legislature's official web site

Local (Government in AL League Communities)

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NEWS MEDIA

Alabama 

Other


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PARTIES, POLLS & COMMENTARY
Note:  Publications listed here are offered only as a sampling. The League does not endorse any of them. 
Conservative Blogs
 Liberal Blogs
 Also, see "A Step Beyond" for a few Alabama blogs and League blogs.

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GENERAL RESOURCES

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THE NEXT STEP... and the computer resources to get there.
Take your League to the next level of community service, visibility and intra-League communication.
Update your League's web site
Your League web site is your public face now more than ever! It's not as difficult as you might think. Web editing software is user friendly and no programming experience is necessary. KompoZer, a free program, is a powerful but user-friendly web site editor as one of its components. Also, you will need a FTP program such as CoffeeCup Free FTP (for PC) Smart FTP (for PC), or Cyberduck (for Mac) (all free) to send your web page to the Internet server. Again, this involves NO PROGRAMMING. Contact Jean Johnson for set-up assistance at jjohnson@lwval.org or 205 870-3063.

Create a Blog for your League
A blog (web log) is a website where entries are made and displayed in a reverse chronological order. They can be educational (such as providing commentary or news on a particular subject), and they can serve as a venue for the exchange of ideas. Access to your blog can be set for the public, for members of your League only, or for only a select group such as your League’s board or a study committee. A blog can combine text, images, and links to other blogs and web pages.
Free blog creation and hosting resources

Sample blogs


Host a free conference call with Skype
Skype is software that enables one to make free calls to anyone else on Skype, anywhere in the world. Also, free one-to-one video calls are possible when both parties have a webcam. Calls to landlines and mobile phones are also available at reasonable rates (within the U.S. the rate is 3.9 cent connection fee + 2.1 cents per min.) Host instant text messaging chats with up to 100 people at a time. Skype also supports 10-way conference calling on PC-s with new Intel processors.


Host a virtual meeting with...
Elluminate
"Live eLearning Solution & Collaboration Solution Software" The Lite Edition offers full-duplex audio, interactive whiteboard, instant messaging, and moderator tools. Consider using this web conferencing tool to enable virtual board meetings,  committee meetings, or small study groups. $50/mo. for 10 seats.

or  iVisit Presenter
This is a less expensive alternative to Elluminate with most of the same features, Not quite as "slick" as Elluminate, but offers free video conferencing as well with up to 6 participants.

or Yugma
 A free alternative webconferencing service. Desktop sharing. Up to 20 participants.

 or DimDim
Another free alternative webconferencing service. Desktop sharing. Up to 20 participants. Highly recommended!
 


Try a new web browser - all free
Netscape
Safari for Mac
Mozilla Suite web browser and much more
Microsoft Internet Explorer Necessary for exploring ALISON. Get it here for PC, here for Mac.


Internet Service Providers
Use this list as a quick link to your ISP (if listed here) or, if your ISP is not performing to your satisfaction, check out a new one.

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SUPPORT THE LWVAL EDUCATION FUND

The LWVAL Education Fund provides non-partisan information to the citizens of Alabama about public issues, voting, and the democratic process. Please click here to make a tax-free donation.
Thank you for your support!

Support the LWVAL Education Fund
when you shop online!

MyCause logo -- OR --iGive logo

Shop online through MyCause or iGive and their affiliate merchants will contribute a portion of your purchase amount to the LWVAL Education Fund at no cost to you! Hundreds of well-known stores! Click an image above & check it out. Make sure you're logged in and that your favorite cause is shown to be LWVAL Ed Fund before continuing to shop.


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My Links
Tip:  Edit this list to include your favorites with the Mozilla Internet Application Suite. Download it here. It's free!
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