Last year the city of Seattle suffered a terrible snowstorm, and the local state and city transportation departments began two twitter feeds (one is http://twitter.com/sdotsnow). It didn't take off, but I expect it will this coming winter, with Twitter's growing numbers. I found it a great insight into the work the state and city departments do in times of bad weather. I've since moved to Portland, where I follow the mayor (http://twitter.com/MayorSamAdams). It's a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of a public figure, a better understanding of what he does on behalf of the city. As you mention above, these both represent a great opportunity for public figures to put on a human face, and get a little better interaction. I'm interested to see what else can be done in this vein. Thanks for the article!