Eventually, somebody will speak up and say: Stop Messing With The National Mall. In recent years, we've had to endure the WWII memorial monstrosity (it's memorial as clip art!). Now comes the news that the National Park Service has issued a planning document which calls for the removal of the U.S. Capitol's reflecting pool and the obliteration of the Sylvan Theater. These are not pieces on a game board!

The reflecting pool would be replaced by some other kind of water entertainment. I'm guess a fountain. What else could it be? A Michael Phelps Memorial Bong? The Sylvan would be replaced with a bigger entertainment center or something. You know the new one will be tagged with all manner of corporate crap. Red Bull will finally get a presence on the National Mall. Thank G-d.

Read More "Park Service Seeks To Destroy Reflecting Pool, Sylvan Theater" »

Good morning, City Desk readers. Your news:

• Yesterday on the MPD-4D listserv, Petworth residents tossed around the idea that the wave of violence had come to an end (or that everyone who cared had moved away), but it looks like they spoke too soon. Police are now looking for a black pick-up truck that shot at two cars last night near Farragut St. NW.
• Pop Cesspool gives his "first thumbs-down" to a Facebook ad.
• Every rag in DC has an "Inauguration Guide"--Washington City Paper's is the one you should use.
• From WaPo: Not to be outdone by PG County, Montgomery County is enacting some far-reaching legislation of its own, which will put an end to "mansionization." (Imagine someone at the planning office holding his thumb and finger close together and saying, "Your house can only be this big.")
• Also in WaPo: American kids are still "just ok" at science.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery.