White House press secretary Jay Carney speaks Monday during his daily press briefing, as a clock counting down the expiration of the payroll tax cut benefit looms in the background. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

Many local businesses fear they won't win contracts for the 2012 Democratic National Convention because they can't boast a "union bug," like the small blue oval above, that can be found on some material printed by Consolidated Press. Courtesy of Consolidated Press hide caption

Lucas Brinson, 21, takes on the role of a human microphone, relaying information throughout New York City's Zuccotti Park Occupy Wall Street encampment days before protests were cleared out by police in mid-November. Bebeto Matthews/AP hide caption

Larry Levan, who made the highlight of a new collection of DJ mixes recorded at London superclub Ministry of Sound. Levan's work at New York club Paradise Garage was the inspiration for the London club. Unknown. hide caption

West Virginia State Police direct traffic at the entrance to Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch coal mine in Montcoal, W.Va., after an explosion April 5, 2010. Twenty-nine miners were killed in the blast. Jeff Gentner/AP hide caption

Bo Muller-Moore, known by some as the "Eat More Kale" guy, hand screen prints his shirts from his Montpelier, Vt., studio. Toby Talbot/AP hide caption

Buy more, or buy less, this holiday season; the choice is yours. Matt Cardy/Getty Images hide caption

The Roots' 10th studio album, undun, is a concept record chronicling the downfall of its narrator. Courtesy of the artist hide caption