Time was blogs were the new-fangled online device to communicate news in the fastest manner. That is no longer the case, as Twitter is now the most up-to-date source of news, gossip and 140-character snarky commentary.

For all the political junkies reading this old-school blog, here are seven Twitter accounts we suggest you “follow,” in addition to The Peak's Twitter feed. These Tweeters not only use their account to point people towards articles, but manage to make news and wisecracks in less words than it takes us to order a Big Mac with a large Coke. 

1. Lynn Bartels — Lynn may be new to Twitter but that hasn't stopped her from becoming our favorite Tweeter in Colorado politics. If you miss a political event or legislative hearing but don't want to miss out on the action, then follow Bartel's account on Twitter. Her tweets are a bit more snarky than her full length posts and also include quotes and observations that are worth reading, even if they don't make it into her write-up of the event. 

2. Senator Greg Brophy — It is the rare State Senator that has almost 1,100 people following their account, especially one not running for any higher office at the moment. But Brophy retains his following through his running commentary on everything from politics to great wines. We especially enjoy his back-and-forth with Lynn Bartels. And his Peak shout-out. 

3. Complete Colorado — The site that Campaigns and Elections Magazine referred to as the “daily must-read of anyone interested in politics,” also has a Twitter account. If you want to see major stories the second they hit, keep an eye on this Twitter account. Complete has also utilized Twitter in a way that others on this list haven't — by engaging in live chats with specific #hashtags. Last week Complete was part of a national dialogue on Freedom of Information Act  (FOIA) requests with other investigative journalists, which we found out about from following Complete. We suggest you do the same.  

4. WhoSaidYouSaid — Kelly Maher of WhoSaidYouSaid live Tweets many events, helping creating a documented history of seismic events that would have been missed otherwise. We are thankful she attends things like the Title Board hearing for tax increase inititiaves that don't draw large audiences, but have major implications for political change. Having amassed a following of over 1,300 followers she has a large audience to relay these proceedings to.

5. Ernest Luning — The oldest political newspaper in the state, the Colorado Statesman, was painfully slow getting their paper online, but this Statesman reporter has helped elevate their online status by live Tweeting events and breaking news via tweets. His account may have gone quiet for much of last cycle, but we welcome him back to the fold in 2011. 

6. People's Press Collective — One of the first major conservative blogs in Colorado, with by far the best origin story (they needed a cover that sounded liberal to get into the Democrat National Convention in 2008), People's Press Collective's Twitter account points people towards key articles but more importantly live Tweets political events. Especially when there are overlapping events, People's Press Collective is a vital resource to stay on top of all the major gatherings of political junkies.

7. Eli Stokols — Fox 31's political reporter, Stokols is another Tweeter who live Tweets event and press conferences, giving his followers an additional vantage point to view these events. He also is not shy to respond to those criticizing him as he did last week to one liberal ankle biter.