Visual Update Monday: The Situation Room...Colossal 3D Wee Wee Book

 The fallout over the picture of senior Obama administration figures in the White House Situation Room won't stop reverberating through the visual culture. As noted earlier, the image, taken by White House photographer Pete Souza as Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden, has won wide praise as historical document. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoiled some of the fun when she told reporters that her hand-over-mouth look of concern was in fact merely a stifled cough, which rankled MSNBC's Chris Matthews, who either didn't believe Clinton's explanation or simply preferred his own. "My guess—and my God—what's wrong with having a decent reaction to a horrific picture?" he said.

 
Meanwhile, an Ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish newspaper apparently disapproved of Clinton's presence in the Situation Room so much that it removed her from the image. Der Tzitung also removed Director for Counterterrorism Audrey Tomason because of its policy not to publish pictures of women that might be sexually suggesting. Or, according to the Daily Mail, pictures of women in positions of power.

I also need to update an earlier post regarding a new 3D version of The Book of Big Breasts. With only some small degree of jest I noted that I was thankful the publisher, Taschen books, wasn't also bringing out a 3D version of another title, The Big Penis Book. Of course that's just what Taschen has done: On May 11 there will be a big party at the Taschen store in Beverly Hills for the lunch of The Big Penis Book 3D.

The company says reaction to the new title so far has been "pointedly enthusiastic." Indeed, this is why we even need a third dimension.