Well in case you haven’t heard the news, The White House officially has a Flickr account, complete with professional photographs of the Prez and various staffers working hard and hardly working. It’s like C-SPAN minus the boring.
This also means that there’s a government job to update the flickr. Go Economic Stimulus!!!
You’re now gazing at President Barack Obama’s just-released official portrait — the first of a U.S. president ever taken with a digital camera. That means we can peek at the EXIF data — this fine specimen of portraiture was snapped with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II on January 13th, 2009 at 5:38 pm with no flash, using a 105mm lens stopped to f/10 at a 1/125 exposure, with an ISO of 100 by newly crowned official White House photographer Pete Souza.
Andrew Jeffrey Wright, of Space 1026, is now taking orders for a limited, second run of his amazing Barack Obama/Philadelphia Phillies tee. The first batch is all but sold out and he will only be printing what is requested! Shirts are $15 on natural tees, instead of white, and will be printed on Monday the 19th, so place your order before then!
Email AJW with your desired size and quantity if you’re interested.
As far as introductions go, I think Nick’s below me cannot be topped, so I won’t even try. Regardless, allow myself to introduce… myself. I’m Jon – lived in Brooklyn all my life (except I wasn’t born here. I was born in Morristown, New Jersey. Yeah, still haven’t forgiven my parents for that one) and spend my time hanging out with my friends, playing sports, and watching my beloved New York Mets. So, as a contributing writer here on the NYC version of McJawn, I’d like to say “Wassup?”
This past week, we witnessed the most important election of our lifetime. America has a debt that is now too many digits long and with threats of terrorism in places like Iran and Pakistan, it looks like we are fucked, simply put.
Then, a man named Barack Obama became our President-Elect.
I, like many, believe he has the power to transcend politics, even if there is still enough hatred in this country to have assassination plans on his life. That’s disgusting and un-American. I say, we have to stand by him, even if there are doubts.
And of course there are doubts. He is a different kind of politician. Not just because he is the son of a Kenyan, but because of who he is. Obama campaigned as the outsider looking in to Washington, hoping to clean up the mess. A reason to be scared is because three decades ago, a man named Jimmy Carter used that same mentality (only as a Southern peanut farmer, not as a biracial newcomer) and had much of the same platform as Obama. Like Barack, he attempted to be our country’s diplomat when dealing with terrorism, which did not come out very successful. Most recently, he visited Hamas and realized that it was better if he left that kind of stuff to the government.
I do not hate Carter. His presidency was filled with high unemployment and inflation and he was defeated after one term. Still, he is a great man who works with Habitat for Humanity still at his old age. I think it’s impossible to be a good man and be a great president these days. But maybe “these days” are over. Maybe Barack can change everything.
I’m hoping with Joe Biden’s foreign expertise, Obama won’t screw up abroad like Carter did. I’m also hoping he will choose Warren Buffett as a financial advisor. Then, maybe in a couple of decades, we can get rid of this massive debt.
Good Luck Barack Obama. You have won yourself a lot more work for America’s future. Yes, we can!
Looks like we’ve got one more aboard the Chinatown Bus…
So just to get things off the ground, I’m Nick, the newest contributor to McJawn. Due to an inexplicable yet unyielding crush that I have on co-founder Wen, I’ll be her bitch and your loyal liaison to the streets of New York City for the foreseeable future. I was born and raised on these mean streets (okay, the Upper West Side isn’t so mean) but I know the city inside and out. I’ll be doing my best to bring you all the dirt, deals, and observations I can about the city that never sleeps.
Great so now that that’s over, let’s get to something real. In case you just awoke from a coma, Barack Obama (aka “Barry Hussein”) was elected as the President of the United States of America two days ago. Yes, I know I’m a little late, but I just recovered from the past two nights so please give me a break. No rational human being in America really thought McCain had a chance (“You can’t beat a Kenyan in a race!”), but to see “President-Elect Obama” was amazing. Everyone is talking about it, and rightfully so. If you were in NYC and you weren’t in Times Square the night of his election, chances are you’re an idiot. I’ve seen World Series and Superbowl celebrations, I’ve seen massive concerts, I’ve seen New Year’s Eve celebrations (from T.V. because they are stupid and overrated), this topped all of them combined. I’ve never seen so many people happy about politics in my entire life. It looked like we just elected Jesus for President. People were busting down the avenues, honking and shouting. Buses and fire trucks were honking to the beat of the inspirational mantra, “Yes we can!” Perfect strangers were hugging and celebrating together. It was a truly remarkable sight.
The most memorable moment from this whole event had to be when I was standing on the corner of 43rd street behind a barricade, looking up at a massive screen fit for Method Man’s crib with the face of the President-Elect on it. With the deafening sound of thousands of cheering Americans in my ears, I witnessed something truly spectacular. A man drove down the avenue waving an American flag out of the window, and people cheered. For the first time since 9/11, I saw people proud to be a member of this country. “American” has been a dirty word to people all around the world for years now. Not anymore, thanks to President and Vice President-Elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden (or, for convenience, President O’Biden). I saw a country united, not under fear and sadness like the day the towers fell, but under a banner of hope and a bright new future. Seeing that flag being waved and hearing the cheers that followed almost brought a tear to my eye. So live it up, and be proud to be an American for as long as we have something to be proud of.
Thailand Fundraiser on 52nd Street this Saturday. 10 bucks for unlimited beer and 2 dollar shots all night long. Can we get wasted? YES WE CAN!
Thanks to an unattended Twitter widget, a website intended to promote the work of 50 young Republican volunteers became an unwitting showcase for mockery of one group member Friday, when it emerged that the volunteer faked a macabre attack on herself and tried to pin it on a non-existent Obama supporter and mugger.
Ashley Todd, a 20-year-old college student and McCain volunteer, admitted on Friday that she made up a widely-reported story about being mugged by a big black guy at an ATM in Pittsburgh. She had falsely told police this week that her assailant became enraged after seeing a John McCain bumper sticker on her car, and proceeded to scratch a “B” — for “Barack” — on her face. It now appears the mark was self-inflicted, and police say it’s expected to heal completely.
Todd was one of the members of a group called 50 College Republican who have been publicizing their activities through a blog and Twitter feed on a web site called “Life in the Field.” The volunteers’ tweets carried the hashtag “#litf08.”
On Friday, commenters started using the tag to broadcast their disgust, causing the sarcastic tweets to be automatically displayed on the Republican site.
“Anyone know which Rove protege is responsible for #litf08? Because they lack the execution skills of the man himself,” tweeted Matt Browner-Hamlin, a former blogger for Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.’s presidential campaign.
“Hmm, it was an okay Obama frame-job, just a few inconsistencies snagged you,” wrote another tweeter. “Overall I’d give you a ‘B’.
“Do 50 College Republicans try this kind of stunt often?” asked Adamuu.
On that last question, Ethan Eilon, executive director of the College Republicans, says the group had “no idea that [Todd] was making this story up.” He forwarded a statement from the communications director.
“When Ms. Todd initially contacted us claiming to have been attacked, our first reaction was obviously to be concerned for her safety,” said Ashley Barbera in a statement. “We are as upset as anyone to learn of her deceit. Ashley must take full responsibility for her actions.”
Everyday this week, Upper Playground and Fifty24SF are hosting a different contest each day to win Obama Prints that are valued at $200 each. For today’s contest, 5 copies of the Alex Pardee Obama print are up for grabs. The print is signed and numbered out of 200. To win, go to Upper Playground’s Facebook page and retrieve a clue, then go to Fifty24SF’s Myspace page and retrieve another clue. Then, find the video on the Upper Playground video channel that matches the two clues and post the name of it on UP’s Facebook page discussion board. Sound complicated? It’s not. Go do it! Good Luck!!
Also, along with this contest, Upper Playground and Fifty24SF are hosting a week long art competition where you have the opportunity to submit your own Obama print to Fifty24SF. To do so post your print entry’s to the Fifty24SF Gallery Facebook “Fan Photos” section. The winner they choose will receive five different prints from UP’s Obama series of prints, and the winning art will be featured as UP’s and Fifty24SF’s profile pic on Myspace and Facebook for all of next week leading up to the election. Your 15 minutes may be almost here!
This absentee ballot was sent out to voters in Rensselaer County in New York state.
Photo credit: Albany Times Union newspaper
Some are calling it a Freudian slip. Everyone’s calling it a big mistake.
Hundreds of absentee ballots sent to voters in New York State’s Rensselaer County, near Albany, were printed with Barack Obama’s last name spelled as “Osama,” the Albany Times Union reports.
County elections officials tell the newspaper that it was a typo that made it by three rounds of proof-readers. They also said the error affected just a few hundred voters, and that they will re-send corrected ballots on request.
Funny. The “s” key is not even close to the “b” button, just sayin’.
I don’t want to add to the Obama-rama too much, but you have no heart if you don’t think this is beyond adorable. Check the site for your daily dose of cute overload. (Click the title for the link.)
So, it seems Barack Obama will be visiting Philadelphia tomorrow (Saturday, October 11th). Interestingly enough all of the places he plans to speak are either in north north philly or west west philly. So yeah, I’m guessing he wants to hit up the working class man right at home.
Well, anyway you should really try to go, even though all of these events are pretty early. But yeah, there are four places that he is speaking, so if you sleep in, you have a chance to catch the next one.
Here’s the info: “Barack is making four stops in Philly on Saturday morning. Below are details for each stop. You can RSVP here. “
Details for the rallies: Saturday, October 11th
Progress Plaza 1501 N. Broad Street Gates Open: 6:15 a.m. Program Begins: 8:15 a.m.
Mayfair Diner 7373 Frankford Avenue Gates Open: 7:15 a.m. Program Begins: 9:30 a.m. Vernon Park 5789 Germantown Avenue between E. Chelton Avenue and W. Rittenhouse Street Gates Open: 9:00 a.m. Program Begins: 11:15 a.m.
South 52nd Street and Locust Street Intersection of South 52nd Street and Locust Street Public entrance: Spruce Street Gates Open: 11:00 a.m. Program Begins: 1:10 p.m.
Also supposedly there is a text message contest to meet with him backstage. Weird.
I was surfing the internet and stumbled upon a very cute little story on a random act of kindness. If you have the time (it’s super short), read it. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Whether the story is true or not, admit it, it’s still really cute.
“Mary Menth Andersen was 31 years old at the time and had just married Norwegian Dag Andersen. She was looking forward to starting a new life in Åsgårdstrand in Vestfold with him. But first she had to get all of her belongings across to Norway. The date was November 2nd, 1988. At the airport in Miami things were hectic as usual, with long lines at the check-in counters. When it was finally Mary’s turn and she had placed her luggage on the baggage line, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness. -You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said. Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call. -I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.
Although she explained the situation to the man behind the counter, he showed no signs of mercy. -I started to cry, tears were pouring down my face and I had no idea what to do. Then I heard a gentle and friendly voice behind me saying, That’s OK, I’ll pay for her. Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before. -He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man? Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man. -He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary. She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.
The piece of paper said ‘Barack Obama’ and his address in Kansas, which is the state where his mother comes from. Mary carried the slip of paper around in her wallet for years, before it was thrown out. -He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling.”
