*Checked out NBC Washington's new "Moods"/Washington Is... section? I hadn't! (Sorry, vacay.) Definitely interactive. Also, leads to hilarious/tacky catchphrases at the top of the homepage (see above). My problem with this is the same problem I have with "viewers' choice awards" on reality TV shows. (Full disclosure: don't watch many reality TV shows.) The whole "America has spoken" thing smacks of a.) Regis Philbin and b.) hypergeneralization. Still, Washington has spoken...and NBC's new site, moodswings and all? Pretty baller! Or maybe not.

*WUSA-9 reports that four teenagers are being charged by Prince William County police for white supremacist-style vandalism:

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: “NBC Moodswing” Edition" »

This guy isn't even the craziest asshole attending these health-care town halls.

Good Morning, City Desk Readers!  The big news today is presidential, of course, but poor Barack Obama got usurped on his birthday by America's other First Black President.  Bill Clinton is receiving all the accolades today after his trip to North Korea, where he met with President Kim Jung Il and helped negotiate the pardoning and release of the two Current TV reporters who were captured near the Chinese border in March.

• While President Clinton's trip was described as a private humanitarian mission before he left for Pyongyang, the Washington Post is reporting that both Clintons played an integral role in planning the trip.  The State Department was reportedly negotiating with the North Koreans for weeks and Bill only left the U.S. after repeated assurances that Laura Ling and Euna Lee would be released.  Regardless, it's good news for embedded journalists.

• In worse news for journalists, MSNBC is now admitting that they erred by not revealing that former Newsweek reporter Richard Wolffe is now working as a strategist for the public affairs firm Public Strategies, Inc. Since his book Renegade, detailing the rise of Barack Obama's presidential campaign, hit the best-seller lists, MSNBC has been showing off Wolffe like a prize, having him fill in for Keith Olbermann on Countdown as recently as last Friday. However, his close ties to the Obama administration (like those private meetings with David Axelrod) and his work at Public Strategies have resulted in major conflicts of interest.  Luckily, he's already got his next Obama book all lined up. Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Save the Journalists Edition" »

The economy might be in the dumps but it’s turning into a stellar year for consumer scams …  and government plans to combat them.

First, this just came in from one of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Yahoo groups: Beware of the telephone shysters posing as sales reps for the FBI. No, silly! Not the real Federal Bureau of Investigation. This one's an alleged alarm company peddling “free” security systems. The pitch starts off saying "you live in a high crime statistics area" and offers a free home alarm system in exchange for letting the company put an FBI sign on your lawn. It’s the latest twist in alarm system scams.

AFTER THE JUMP: More on D.C. confidence schemes and Obama's plans to take down abusive consumer lenders.

Read More "Scam City! Grifters – and Consumer Protection – Are on the Rise, Officials Say" »

The big news in Washington this morning was already shared with City Desk readers early yesterday evening: Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.) admitted to having an affair with a campaign staffer.  There's no word on whether Ensign plans on resigning but he wishes he could take it all back.  Obviously.  He was a member of the Promise Keepers, for Pete's sake.  There's a lot to be said about Ensign's contradictory behavior but at least he came public without the help of the fine journalists at the National Enquirer.

Drug recalls, crime bills, and a double dose of foreign policy after the jump. Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Truth Telling Edition" »

From WeLoveDC's twitter: "Wow. It's 11:50, and there are 32 people in line *outside* Rays Hell Burger. Not even noon yet!" Thank you Obama.

It's been established that wherever Obama goes, the tour buses and locals will follow, temporarily ruining eating for everyone who doesn't like to wait in long lines for half smokes or gourmet burgers. In the future, Mr. President can you not stop by the following places:

*Pete's

*The Mount Pleasant 7-11

*Old City

*The Whole Foods (Dupont Circle Logan Circle) sandwich counter.

*Soul Veg

*The CVS at Irving and 14th.

*The Columbia Heights Target on Saturday afternoons.

As first rumored on DCRTV, Brian Mitchell has been let go by sportstalk station WTEM-AM.

That means Mitchell's now ex-employer was Dan Snyder.

The same guy has fired the same guy before.

In 2000, Snyder's first offseason of running the Redskins, Mitchell, the team's all-time punt return and kickoff return leader, was let go.

In Thom Loverro's 2007 book, Hail Victory: An Oral History of the Washington Redskins, Mitchell insinuated he got run out of town because he was disliked by Snyder's favorite Redskin, Darrell Green.

That's sorta interesting again, because the owner's pet these days, Clinton Portis, got in a big to-do over the airwaves with Mitchell last year over things the host said about his attitude and play.

Portis and Snyder were recently spotted dining together at N9NE Steakhouse in Vegas.

Vegas!

And now Snyder banishes Mitchell again!

Hmmm.

Read More "Cheap Seats Daily: Dan Snyder and Satan" »

JDLand has her own thoughts on the allegedly slow development around Nationals Park (including both Southeast and Southwest sides). She uses the Post's archives to make the point that the MCI Center didn't exactly create instant redevelopment. [She doesn't use those same archives to chart all the failed promises city leaders have made concerning Nationals Park; nor does she use those same archives to chart how much money the city has dumped into the project].

Another argument she could have made: The problem with all the civic boosters behind Nationals Park is that they are having to sell one of the ugliest pieces of city real estate. The MCI Center was built in a downtown neighborhood with obvious strengths that Nationals Park does not have. MCI Center had Chinatown, MLK Library and other civic destination spots like say the old DCRA building (ha), the courthouses, and police headquarters. Nationals Park was built in a decimated spot with almost zero charm. Anyway, I posted my two cents on the subject yesterday.

Misadventures in D.C. folds up its blog, blames Twitter and Facebook (like real media people!). They write: "The weird thing, of course, is that blogging now seems... well, so QUAINT. So old-fashioned, this idea of taking the time to construct paragraphs of text, telling a story, fleshing out an idea or thought through the process of writing about it. We've been reduced to brief one-sentence status updates (or worse, in the case of Twitter: 140 characters). It's easier to stay in touch than ever before. Yet our communication becomes more superficial with each sign of 'progress.'"

Borderstan collects early April crime stats for Borderstan.

And Now, Anacostia gives its blessing to Cherry Blast.

Bureaucrat310 mourns the crowding of Ben's Chili Bowl now that they've spotted tour buses parked outside the D.C. institution. There's tension between the old men and the tourists:

"I was at Ben's Chili Bowl last night with an out-of-town friend who wanted to "visit the place where Obama eats." It was 2am, crowded and loud! I sat at the counter next to an elderly black man and about three or four of his buddies. Yes, an old guy out past 2am! We'd already ordered as a white college-aged man started shouting his order behind me. The man, for some unknown reason, stuck his arm in between me and the elderly black man to rest his hand on the counter. He accidentally brushed against the black man who did not enjoy being touched - a small argument ensued..."

The 42 taps out a thoughtful rundown of area sports teams and events.

The Post reported today that a report by Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has pointed out several obvious flaws with the inauguration. The report: "pointed to insufficient signs, poor coordination among law enforcement agencies and a lack of personnel to keep order and provide information to visitors." By now everyone who attended the inauguration or who read about the Purple Tunnel of Doom knows the screw-ups. The only thing left of out of the report is a mention of Dionne Warwick's ball flap.

In the report's executive summary, under "crowd management," it does point out a few major gaffes. Crowds were not only huge, they arrived before police officers got to their posts, the report states, adding that ticket holders and non-ticket holders ended up fighting for spots at the same gates. In other areas medium security fencing was either moved or trampled over. The report notes that in the Silver Section, the "snow" fencing had been trampled. In other spots, bike-rack fencing was simply moved.

Read More "Report Cites Obvious Problems With Inauguration" »

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.

The D.C. Police Department announced a huge list of street closings for President Obama's address tonight. The department notes that "the Capitol Square will be restricted to authorized pedestrians only beginning at 6 pm." And then it provides an extensive rundown of what's off limits.

Read More "Street Closings For Obama’s Address" »

Who knew Leon Harris had a blog? This guy used to fill up the dead air on CNN. He currently provides the gravitas over at WJLA which he has done for some time.  And apparently, he also invokes the common man's perspective on his blog. Of executive pay limits, he writes under a post called "Unbelievable!":

"A recurring theme among the execs and their allies has been 'if you limit their pay, the will take their talent to other companies, and things will only get worse for the bailed-out ones.' Is that the sorriest blackmail, or is it just me?"

It's not just you.

Then there's the blog post about Dionne Warwick.

Read More "Leon Harris Meets Dionne Warwick" »

This morning I did something I rarely do on Twitter. I wrote what was exactly on my mind (which I guess is the point of twitter). I typed out: "Jake Tapper had the best question at the Obama press conference." I sat there last night watching the Obama press conference like it was event television. I'm a sucker. Tapper was one of the few reporters who asked a question aimed at getting Obama off the talking points. He asked Obama what benchmarks or milestones or measurements his administration and the public could use to see if the stimulus plan was working. In other words, how would we know if the trillion bucks were gonna cough up is money well spent.

It was a great question.

I pretty much have forgotten Obama's answer. But I remembered the moment as a typical Tapper moment. He's not your average political correspondent/hack. Since he left CP years ago, I have read and watched Tapper with amazement at his ability to churn out good copy for Salon, and solid pieces for Nightline and his politics blog. So it was just odd to read today the anonymous carping from the press corps about Tapper.

Read More "Jake Tapper Gets The Spotlight" »

I have been trying to figure out Michael Steele for the last week or so. Every since he won the RNC's top job that has meant more TV chat show appearances where he talks up tax cuts and talks down Obama. He just doesn't sound that smart. Yesterday, Steele told a Politico reporter that Obama's stimulus package "is just a wish list from a lot of people who have been on the sidelines for years.. to get a little bling, bling."

Read More "Michael Steele Is Our New Sarah Palin" »

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" »