Shutdown Food Porn: The handiest flowchart ever to help you find the perfect government shutdown food and drink specials. +3

Put Me in Coach, I’m Ready to Play: Minor League baseball team Potomac Nationals are offering free tickets to Opening Day 2014 for furloughed government workers. The organization is also offering government workers the opportunity to work in game operations for the 2014 season. Step up your game, Washington Nationals! -5

National Heroes: A couple hundred World War II vets toppled down the barricades closing off the World War II Memorial for the shutdown, and successfully got in. +5

Bienvenidos a America: Spanish-born chef celeb Jose Andres is going to become a U.S. citizen soon. Since he’s already got seven restaurants here, this seems appropriate. +1

Friday’s Needle rating: 63 Today’s score: +4 Needle rating: 67