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OK, so we can't be there, but what public parties are going on here in SoCal to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama tomorrow morning as our new president?

Andy Malcolm, keeper of the LAT's politics blog, Top of the Ticket, pointed me to the Obama transition web site, where you can search for shindigs in your neighborhood. And Zach Behrens, editor of LAist, just posted a great guide to celebrations in L.A. David Markland over at LA MetBlogs weighs in as well.

A friend and neighbor is in DC right now, video blogging the inauguration scene on Random TV. And here's the public photo stream on Flickr, filled with everything (I'm loving this one) from people taking part in today's day of service to some amazingly great shots of doings in DC.

Now could someone please explain to me how Inauguration Day (to say nothing of election day) isn't a public holiday in the U.S.?

Photo: DaleSun / Flickr (via Creative Commons License)