Want to leave work early and jet to Europe or California? We bet. This week, you can! For free! Well, sort of… The 2016 Smithsonian Folklife Festival is here, and the six-day outdoor celebration on the National Mall will give DC a taste of Basque culture and a glimpse into the “Sounds …

The folks over at NJI Media redesigned every state flag in America at UnitedWeBrand.us, for Flag Day tomorrow. They weighed the history of the state with each state’s current flag and came up with interesting ways to represent local flavor. We’re impressed. Here are a few of our favorites: Arkansas …

Photo credit: Bryant A. via Don Seymour 

Looking to creatively announce your candidacy for Congress?  Try attending an event hosted by your rival to inform him that you have a challenge in the works. [bam] That’s exactly what Calaveras County Supervisor Darren Spellman did this week during the Q-and-A portion of a Frogtown forum hosted by Rep. …

Cruise by the Ugly Mug with the California Staff Delegation tonight — and raise money to help clean up the Gulf Coast. Here’s the Facebook invite. Guest bartenders: Bret Manley & Yuri Beckelman

Although the Atlantic doesn’t normally waste their time covering web ads, this one left them asking: Worst Campaign Video Ever? We find it more important to ask:  How do the i-stock actors feel about playing second fiddle to a demon sheep? PS: We happened to enjoy the ad, although falling …

We guess the California Attorney General doesn’t mind calling up reporters and dropping political bombs on ex-Gov candidate Gavin Newsom: “Earlier this year Brown himself called me to plant a possible story about Newsom selling a condo for a suspiciously high price in a distressed market. I thought, Come on, …

We’re confused by the title on her latest press release. [huh?] We don’t think she is referring to the Fat Joe song , so is she actually taking credit for the weather? If so, that is quite a cool trick! You got our vote! And though we doubt she’ll actually …

We think former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who is looking to challenge Sen. Barbara Box in California, has a new website that’s "coming soon."  [question mark]

[oh. boy.] Something about Gavin Newsom’s video announcing his candidacy for CA Gov doesn’t sit right with us. Perhaps it’s the creepy his Will Arnett-ness . Gob for Gov!

How much will this gubernatorial race cost? [what’s your bid?] Meg Whitman, the former CEO of eBay, announced Monday she’s interested in running for governor of California, setting up what’s likely to be among the most hotly contested gubernatorial races in 2010. Noteworthy: We were also “interested in running”, but …

Rep. Barney Frank, known for his eccentric behavior – is at it again – but this time, he’s working on garnering votes, one puff at a time. Frank wants to give Americans permission to smoke weed. “The vast amount of human activity ought to be none of the government’s business,” …

Calif. Rep. Tom Lantos dies after being diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. WASHINGTON (AP) _ Rep. Tom Lantos of California, the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress, has died, his spokeswoman said Monday. Lynne Weil said that Lantos, 80, passed away at the Bethesda Naval Medical Center in …

Oliver Stone to make “fair” movie about George W. Bush