Happy NaBloPoMo! Or for the less tech-savvy: National Blog Posting Month. Apparently, there are bloggers who have vowed to post every day for the month of November! Don’t worry, slacker-bloggers with other responsibilities—City Desk has plenty of posts to go around. That’s what interns are for.

The New York Times is asking readers to look back at the year since President Barack Obama’s election and sum up their mood. As of Tuesday night, Democrats are “hopeful,” “proud,” and “thankful.” Republicans are “suspicious,” “depressed,” and… “unsurprising.” Please assign grammar lessons to those unsurprising Republicans. Also, Republicans can add some new words today after last night's election returns. Bob McDonnell!

At 12:01 a.m., the National Park Service debuted its new online lottery for the National Christmas Tree ceremony tickets. There are some 10,000 tickets available, and the lottery closes Friday. On the plus side: No more fending off tourists and huddling in the cold for hours to see a tree lit. On the downside: Did anyone actually think this through? Thousands upon thousands logging into one government-run Web page? I’d start bundling up the kiddies.   Read More "Our Morning Roundup: The “Thrilled, Hopeful, and Unsurprising” Edition" »

Last year, Central Union Mission attempted to bring its 128-bed homeless shelter to the 3500 block of Georgia Avenue, but was shot down by Ward 1 Council member Jim Graham and a group of residents in a rather shameless case of NIMBYism. "Good news!!! Central Union Mission is not moving to Georgia Avenue in Ward One," Graham wrote on his website after he fought off the shelter.

Now, as the Prince of Petworth has relayed in two recent blog posts, the local ANC 1A will be considering a new proposal on Wednesday night.  The Mission is trying a more moderate tack for the space, which it owns: retail combined with affordable housing.

Read More "Petworth Commenters Mobilize Against “Poor People”" »

*SNIPER APPEALS: The Post reports that lawyers for John Allen Muhammad, the Beltway Sniper, are appealing Muhammad's 2003 sentence. Muhammad, they say, was not mentally competent to represent himself over a two-day period during the fall of 2003, and his trial lawyers should have argued as much to the judge. This is Muhammad's last opportunity to avoid the death penalty without intervention from the Supreme Court or the Gov. Kaine.

*The Washington Times condemns Rep. Jim Moran for "champion[ing] the idea of bringing terrorists like 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and other al Qaeda detainees to historic Alexandria." Back in March, our own Amanda Hess noted the furor over a sex shop that threatened to undermine the dignity—nay, the decency—of Old Town Alexandria. First a naughty boutique, then political detainees—what's next? According to the Times: "the nuclear waste that Nevada won't take."

*D.C. Police report that 82-year-old James Booker went missing from his home in the 1700 block of Irving Street NE:

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: WaTimes Goes NIMBY" »

*THE BLOGOSPHERE REACTS: Arlen Specter (R-PA D-PA), facing a strong 2010 primary push from Republican congressman Pat Toomey, switches parties, giving the Dems a quasi-60-seat presence in the Senate. This has the 'sphere all riled up. For some spirited commentary, visit Robert Stacey McCain's  blog ("Specter reminds me of the high-school slut trying to sleep her way to popularity") or Gateway Pundit, where RNC Chair Michael Steele is quoted as saying "Republicans look forward to beating Sen. Specter in 2010, assuming the Democrats don't do it first." President Obama, meanwhile, pledges his "full support" to Specter.  Which could include campaigning for him in a Democratic primary.

*Obama's "no-news press conference doesn't impress" the Washington Times. Snap!

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Cloning Bin Laden" »

*INDOGURATION UPDATE: Yesterday afternoon, following the President's latest round of cautious optimism, Ted Kennedy presented the Obama famiy with Bo, a six-month-old Portugese water dog .  The Post has video, a bombastic lede, and some Us Weekly-worthy niceties:

About 10 minutes later the First Family emerged again, racing up the hill, with the president doing a nifty maneuver to switch the leash from one hand to another to avoid getting tangled and tripping.

"Pshew! Close call," the episode concludes.

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: First Dog Edition" »

*Big presser from the President last night.  The New York Times says, basically, farewell orator, hello professor; the Post has video and the transcript; Wonkette live-blogged; I just watched.

*10 months after the brutal murder of Jasmine McCray in the 4800 Block of G Street SE, D.C. Police announced yesterday that they have made an arrest in the case:

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Clouded Leopard Cub Edition!" »

Good morning, City Desk readers, and welcome to another installment of Freedom Friday. Before we get started, I'd like to throw something out there: GeoPet. Can y'all feel that contraction bustle off your palate, like so many Metro riders leaving the Georgia Avenue-Petworth station? I can. Petworth needs this, folks. Why should AdMo, CoHi, and BloMi have all the fun? It would be so much easier to give directions, too: "The Looking Glass Lounge? Oh, it's one block south of GeoPet"; "I'm going to grab some groceries at the GeoPet Safeway"; "Hey, let's meet for lunch at Sweet Mango--it's across the street from GeoPet." Gah, so cool! Hey, Prince of Petworth, what do you say? Gonna throw your blog behind this one?

The American Enterprise Institute's financial woes, Campus Progress' smear campaign, and creationists at the Smithsonian below the jump.

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: The GeoPet Proposal" »

G'day,citizens. Daschle's out; so's Kwame Kilpatrick, but in a different way. Let's get to the links.

*D.C. Police are still on the lookout for Corey Harrison, the slippery fellow who went AWOL on his child support and then, once in custody, escaped from the United Medical Center in the 1300 block of Southern Ave. SE:

He escaped from a men’s room by climbing through the ceiling of the restroom and then making his way to another room. When he escaped, he was wearing a white T-shirt, boxer shorts and a handcuff on one wrist.

*Prince of Petworth teams with IntangibleArts to wield a video camera in imitation of PBS. (See above.) Nice shades, yer highness!

*The D.C. Council, perhaps as a nod to our demonstrated lack of gumption in the face of actual weather, wants you to clean ice & snow off your car but won't fine you if you don't. (Via D.C. Wire)

*Still got your button from the Capital Fringe Festival? Julianne announces your February perks.

*Juliet Lapidos answers all of your dirty little Michael Phelps/ganja-related questions.

*ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY: George Washington was elected (1789) and reelected (1792) as our first Prez. And you can be damn sure that those pamphleteers liveblogged the shit out of his first 100 days.

* It's not just for Republicans anymore! Michelle Obama wears fabulous, egregiously expensive jewelry, too. [via Wonkette].

* DCist Sommer Mathis cries foul on $9.95 plus shipping for a newspaper (don't even get her started on the special election issue sweatshirt). Commemorative hand towels of DCist's official declaration of election newsprint hype blog post coming soon.

* Prince of Petworth is two years old. Join him and other crown princes of the local blogosphere tonight at Wonderland to celebrate the milestone---and toast to 730 more doors of the day.

* New Columbia Heights deems the new neighborhood Panda Express . . . decent!

* Catch up with the Good Guys strip club arson case as it happens with trial updates over at the Sexist.

* And in this newspaper: The Education Issue!

- Marina Koestler Ruben on D.C.'s English-Chinese bilingual charter.

- Dave McKenna on the end of a local football dynasty.

- Mike DeBonis on Michelle Rhee's rising star.

- Ruth Samuelson schools Obama hangers-on on where to reside in the District.

Photo by Army.mil

* Burning question! Why employ a "guest blogger"? Get your own blog! It's easy! Still, yesterday, Prince of Petworth debuted "The Restaurant," a new series by a guest-blogger called Julian: a writer, waiter, and master of the simile. Writes "Julian": "The staff, from what I noticed up front, was attractive and friendly, yet tightly knit–like a potato sack I desperately wanted to cut into with my personality and strong work ethic." Never have I more appreciated the subtle artistry of the "Door of the Day."

* Junior League harmonica player (and wheat-paster) Martin Thomas was ejected from China for protesting for a free Tibet during the Olympic ceremonies, BYT reports.

* Speaking of the Olympics: Despite my policy to ignore them at all costs, gymnastics events are better now, Slate says.

* Meanwhile, says WaPo, ping-pong gets the shaft!

* Local darlings U.S. Royalty have an inaugural video to go along with their inaugural EP.

* Tonight: If you don't wear shorts, they'll cut your pants off. Is that a promise?

Photo by S.³