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Originally uploaded by The Official White House Photostream

The White House has, in their continuing effort to embrace social media of just about every kind, put up an official Flickr stream with the work of White House photographer Pete Souza. It’s also all shared under the Creative Commons Attribution license (why aren’t they just purely public domain? I’m not entirely sure.) which means you may start seeing more of them here.

By the by, I chose this photo so that if maybe the 24 writers and producers were around, they could see what the actual White House Situation Room looks like. Instead of whatever magical bullshit fakery room they use each week. Pay attention jerks, the rest of us have the internet and we’re not afraid to use it.

Anyhow, I know I could lose the rest of the day to this stream, so if I go missing, I’ll likely be in rapt attention of The White House Flickr Stream.

‘Face maks Japan’
courtesy of ‘shibuya246’

But don’t count on face-masks to save you from the dirty swine flu apoco-demic. The CDC reported this week that they don’t know how useful the masks are at protecting you from a disease that has killed only one individual so far in the United States — that being a toddler in Texas (you know, that state that shares a border with Mexico?). Better methods of staying healthy, says the CDC, are washing your hands and avoiding large crowds. The majority of known U.S. cases of the disease are in New York City. No cases have been confirmed in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia (though we have seen people wearing face-masks here…). Only 5 people in the United States have had cases worrisome enough to warrant hospitalization. 

While this is not to say the disease couldn’t continue to spread, it might be time to keep the panic in check for now.

‘Marion Barry and Mr. Grumpy Pants’
courtesy of ‘ricepeter’

Marion “Bitch Set Me Up” Barry appeared at a rally to oppose gay marriage in the District today. Which is newsworthy enough all on its own, but that’s not what caught my attention. When asked about his absence at the council meeting where the decision to recognize other states’ gay marriages passed unanimously, Barry said: 

“If I had been [there], I would have voted ‘no,'” Barry added. “I am a politician who is moral.” (emphasis mine)

I think there’s only one thing to say to that: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

‘Specter’
courtesy of ‘skye820’

Speaking of DC turncoats, we hear Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) is about to become Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) today. Not that this will involve a meaningful shift in the already-decisive Senate Democratic majority, but at least now I can go to parties and not hear any grumbling about “that RINO* Specter.”

*RINO – Republican In Name Only

‘Lexmark X6570 wifi printer and fax’
courtesy of ‘bpedro’

Well I think it’s an odd way to celebrate International Worker’s Day, but the DC Students for a Democratic Society are going to be showing Office Space in an outdoor screening on Friday at 9p in the Petworth area. Followed, of course, with a discussion in the parking lot. I’m not sure that Peter’s journey is one I, as a worker, want to emulate, but I guess viewing Norma Rae in a grocery parking lot was just too depressing to contemplate.

Maybe next year they can do Say Anything.

I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.

Update: Just remembered, on the topic of labor and bad jobs, my favorite podcast, Filmspotting, did their top five bad job movies for their weekly list when they reviewed Adventureland. If you’re a podcast listener at all I highly recommend their show.