DCist notes that the White House has decided to pass out tickets to its Easter Egg Roll online. Why is this news? Oh yeah, people give a shit and used to wait in line like all night for the chance to celebrate Easter on the White House lawn. DCist writes:

"A press release from the White House cited a desire for "more children and families from across the United States (to) have the opportunity to experience this event" as a reason for the ticketing change."

Does the White House honestly think people will travel from all over the country just to "experience this event?" Who the hell has the money? It looks like those novelty eggs don't fetch too much on eBay. A George and Laura collectible from 2003 is currently bidding at $16.50. That's like less than a dinner for two at Applebee's.

Then again this egg rolling thing has been around a long time. I'm sure half the tickets will end up on Craigslist.

Tim McDowell, made quasi-famous by our cover story "Rabies R Us," got wind of the Obamas' little raccoon problem at the White House and says, repeatedly, he will head on over there and collect the critters, free of charge.

McDowell, owner and operator of AB & BE Animal Bat & Bird Extractors---"Solving Human-Animal Conflicts"---is fired up about the prospects. "Everyone's eyes are on the White House right now," he says. "If I had them as a client, what better referral do you need?"

No offense against the National Park Service, which has thus far been unsuccessful in humanely trapping one large 'coon and several smaller ones. But McDowell says they're not experts. He is. "How many of these park service employees are inoculated against rabies? You got all those people putting in all the time they got into it. The government's paying for it, isn't it? I got the traps, I got the insurance, I got the exposure to rabies..."

"I got this," he says.

Read More "Raccoons Invade White House, Local Trapper Offers Free Service" »

The latest parlor game among local foodies is guessing who President-elect Barack Obama will tap as his White House chef. The main name being tossed around is Chicagoan Art Smith, Oprah Winfrey's former personal chef who recently opened Art and Soul on Capitol Hill. The Post's Tom Sietsema caught up with Smith this week to put the question to him directly. An excerpt:

Best known for having served as the personal chef for Oprah Winfrey for 10 years, Smith has already cooked several times for the future first family, who lives a few streets away from him in Chicago's Hyde Park. ("They like delicious, healthy food," reports the diplomatic chef.) On election night, Smith prepared a private dinner for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and about 150 Democratic stalwarts at Art and Soul. Earlier in his career, he was interviewed by the Reagan administration for the top cooking job. "I was way too young back then," says Smith, age 48.

The chef currently commutes between Chicago, his home base, and Washington. Would he be up for cooking for Obama and kin? "I'm happy my name is even in the circle," says Smith, who shows off his bipartisan nature by casually mentioning having had lunch recently with Doro Bush Koch, the current president's sister.

Who would you like to see cooking for Obama's state dinners?