Escape From Spring Break

It's March and, on the travel front, that can mean only one thing: sojourners, beware. In these waters, there be Spring Breakers.



For the next month, many of the Western hemisphere's finest vacation destinations will be inundated with legions of sun-worshipping students hellbent on having the most unforgettable week of their young lives. And, yes, the irony that much of that week will actually be forgotten is not lost on us here at YouTube.



Unfortunately, not everyone looking for a little end-of-winter respite fits into that enviable demographic. Some of us just want to get a little sun, a little good food, and a lot of peace and quiet. For those of you looking to avoid the throngs of young revelers, do not despair. YouTube's travel community has come to the rescue.







And for those college students thinking about a spring break that's a little more off the beaten path, here are a few fantastic ideas from some inspiring YouTube users.







Happy Travels,

The YouTube Team

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March 4th Madness

The race for the White House continues today as Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont hold their presidential primaries. All eyes are on the Democratic primaries in Ohio and Texas as Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton face off for crucial votes that could determine which candidate gets the nomination. Will today's primaries seal the deal for Senator Obama, or will they signal the resurgence of Senator Clinton and push this contest all the way to the Democratic National Convention?



As usual, YouTubers from all over the country are weighing in on what's happening in Texas and Ohio.







And while the GOP nomination is all but locked up for John McCain, Mike Huckabee still has his share of supporters -- like the Pena family, who wrote a song reminding Texas voters not to give up on the former Arkansas governor just yet.







Finally, if you're confused about the Texas voting system, with its unique combination of caucuses and primaries, watch this video from WhyTuesday, which offers a helpful and entertaining explanation. And as always, check back to our You Choose '08 platform for election news and commentary from voters, candidates, and news organizations as today's primaries unfold.



Yours,

Steve G.

YouTube News & Politics

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You Choose '08 New Features

As the 2008 presidential primary election continues to winnow the Republican and Democratic field, our You Choose '08 platform has expanded to include more election content for you to watch. Not only do we have videos from the candidates' YouTube channels, but we also have more content from news organizations, bloggers and, of course, you. Check out the redesign here.



We'll feature five timely election videos here every week day -- and every Friday we'll post a "Best of the Week" list so you can catch up over the weekend if you missed anything. Our Election News section will feature videos from our news partners, including the Associated Press, CBS News, and The New York Times . In addition, lots of local news stations have YouTube channels and we'll be highlighting their content too.



In our playlist box, you can keep track of the candidates' views on the important issues in this election, and we've planted a few of your ideas in there as well. You can also can keep track of past political programs that ran on YouTube (the debates, primary and caucus voter video projects, international political platforms) by clicking on the icons down in the footer of the page.



So what do you think? Shoot us an email with your thoughts as we continue to develop You Choose '08 to bring candidates and voters together in effective ways. We'd also love your video ideas for the You Choose '08 playlists.



Finally, stay tuned to the You Choose '08 platform as the 2008 election broadens beyond the presidential race to Congressional, state and local elections, or head over to our political platforms in the UK and Spain for a taste of politics beyond the 50 states.



Yours,

Steve G.

YouTube News & Politics

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Site Update 2/27

The following features are now appearing on YouTube. Check out the goods...



CHARACTER COUNTER FOR VIDEO COMMENTS



The visual counter lets you know exactly how many characters you have left before approaching the limit. Now you will always know how many words you can fit in before hitting 'submit'.



CONTEXTUAL HELP IN MY ACCOUNT



You'll notice some new help icons next to features on your account. To see instructions and helpful information related to managing things like your channel design and videos, just hover over the " ? " icons. Click the "read more" link to go directly to the full article related to that particular feature in our Help Center.



EXPERIMENTAL PERSONALIZED HOMEPAGE BETA



We just launched a new experimental personalized YouTube homepage. Check out all the details in our previous blog post before you opt in to the beta by clicking here.



And now, we grace you with the stylings of pzottolo in the latest edition of YouTube News:







Best,

The YouTube Team

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