California may be trying to keep online petitions from becoming acceptable to force ballot measures, but a group of California Republican politicians have launched an online petition at www.ca4bush.org to urge Gov. George W. Bush R-TX to enter the presidential race. The petition is dated Jan. 20, 1999 — exactly two years before the new president will take office — and reads in part: "America needs an experienced leader who brings conservative values and a winning candidacy that will reach out to all. We are impressed with your policy and political record in Texas and know that these successes are available to you in California."

    Washington State community activist Pat Herbold, wife of Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Bob Herbold, has decided against a challenge to Rep. Jay Inslee D-WA. The GOP has decided to rally around state Sen. Dan McDonald R-Bellevue instead.

    Italian researcher Leonardo Chiariglione will head up the Secure Digital Music Initiative. Chiariglione was named after 200 music industry executives met in secret for seven hours. The group will attempt to create a technical format for the sale and delivery of copyrighted music over the Internet. Chiariglione was one of the creators of the now-standard MPEG digital audio/video format, and it is an MPEG offshoot, MP3, that has become a favorite format for pirates. Chiariglione wants the group to have its standard set in time to permit protected online sales for the Christmas shopping season — a goal some say is overly ambitious.

    He may now have a search engine, but USA Networks/Lycos head Barry Diller was left searching for guests for the party he and Disney head Michael Eisner threw for Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Bradley. Most Hollywood bigshots stayed away, as the Al Gore braintrust put out the word that it would look bad for their man if too many insiders partied with the man who is likely to be Gore's only primary rival.

    Phil Noble, the president of the PoliticsOnline Web site and consultancy, praises Gov. Jesse Ventura Ref-MN for his use of the Internet. "Every time a new communications technology is invented, some politician understands that new technology and comes to dominate their political era... In terms of the Internet, I think Jesse is one of the most important politicians in the country." But while Ventura maintains the www.jesseventura.org Web site he used to win his election as a source for Reform Party outreach (not to mention the sale of Jesse Ventura action figures), the Governor himself does not use a computer.

    Bill Gates wants President Clinton to get back the fast-track trade negotiation authority refused by the House last year. Gates hopes Clinton will have fast-track power before the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle in November. Speaking to the Washington Council on International Trade, Gates also encouraged Congress to lift a ban on the export of encryption software, saying it would make it easier to do business over the Internet.

    President Clinton was the most-searched-for celebrity on the Web in February, according to Hot 100's list. Clinton's spouse and potential Senate candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton D-AR/IL/NY ranked fourth. Bill Gates came in at No. 10, and former Senator/Viagara spokesman Bob Dole R-KS at No. 75. No other political figures made the hit list -- except for the scandal crowd: Monica at six, Linda at 32, and Vernon at 65.

    The Rev. Jesse Jackson blasted Silicon Valley firms on a trip to San Jose Feb. 28. Jackson said that much-desired investment capital remains in the hands of just a few, and is seeking financing for "historically underrepresented" groups. Jackson also accused the firms of violating federal law, because they hold federal contracts but do not meet employment law requirements. Jackson is expanding his Wall Street Project, which seeks to gain access to capital for minorities, to the tech world. Jackson calls the effort "the fourth movement of the civil rights symphony."

    Also in San Jose this week: Second Lady Tipper Gore and California First Lady Sharon Davis for an event on Silicon Valley's efforts to combat homelessness.

    Tim Lordan has departed the Internet Alliance, where he served as Deputy Policy Counsel since March 1998, to take up a new post at the Internet Education Foundation, the coordinating arm of the Internet Caucus. Lordan, a 1995 graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston, has worked for the WGBH Educational Foundation, the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance and Edelman Public Relations Worldwide's Global Telemedia and High-Tech group.

    Rep. James Sensenbrenner R-WI, chairman of the House Science Committee, attacked the Clinton Administration for making R&D funding a "political pawn." "I am extremely disappointed that the Clinton administration apparently is using R&D funds as a political pawn in the larger budget debate. A statement of support for science funding — regardless of external budget issues — would have been much more helpful to advancing our scientific enterprise. I respectfully suggest someone in the Clinton administration reconsider this science-funding-as-a-bargaining-chip position. Certainly our scientific interests deserve better. Let’s work together on developing a realistic and thoughtful plan that prioritizes R&D funding rather than using it as a political hostage," Sensenbrenner said in a statement.

    Richard James Varn has been appointed Iowa chief information officer by new Gov. Tom Vilsack D. Varn previously served as director of information technology production services for the University of Northern Iowa, and served in the state legislature from 1983 to 1994. "[Varn] has excellent knowledge and experience in building relationships between government and communities so we can coordinate our efforts to expand and integrate technology across the state," Vilsack said.

    Buzz? Rumors? Hate mail? Self-promotion? Fire it off to Peter J.M. Orvetti.