If you're down on the National Mall this weekend and see, oh, 12,000 flags stuck in the ground, don't be alarmed. The Federal Government hasn't started an experimental flag farm, nor is the display an effort of the area's squirrels to show their patriotism. The flags have been planted to represent the 12,000 members of the United States military who have been discharged under the practice of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The policy, which governs... more ›

Harry Jaffe: In writing something of a goodbye column to RFK Stadium, Jaffe recounts the many struggles the District overcame to attract a baseball team. And though plenty of people played important roles, he feels that one deserves extra attention -- former Mayor Anthony Williams. "The hero of the piece has to be Williams, an unpopular mayor who — despite his wandering attention span — kept swinging away at an unpopular crusade to use public... more ›

Good morning, D.C. If you live in Wards 1 or 2, don't forget to turn out to vote today in the special election for District I member of the State Board of Education. There's only one name on the ballot, that of veteran education reporter Mary Lord, but as we mentioned before, there's also a write-in candidate, first-year teacher in DCPS Jason Crawford. Check out each candidate's web site and decide for yourself. If... more ›

This week ended with the launch of the seventh and final Harry Potter installation. But while the world was consumed with Pottermania, it's important to remember that there were more serious things going on in the world, too – two of them in -Ist cities. Sampaist was shocked when a passenger jet crashed into the center of Sao Paulo, killing at least 200 people. The airplane, an Airbus A320, skidded off the runway at the... more ›

Yesterday, we learned that former mayor and current D.C. Council member Marion Barry would be honored with a wax statue of his likeness in the new D.C. version of Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. And of course, we joked about placing Hizzoner's statue in any number of court or hotel room settings, playing up his 'Bitch Set Me Up' milieu while paying tribute to his superheroic invulnerability to getting into any real trouble. But leave it to FOX 5 to uncover the shocking truth: in fact, Madame Tussaud's is likely planning on placing the Barry statue in a 'Scandal Room' that would also feature statues of Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. more ›

Good morning, Washington. This being the town that it is, we don't have to tell you what today is. Pull the lever, push the button or mark the scantron form — do whatever you've got to do, but make sure you make yourself heard. And for those of you who like to wait until the last minute, here's how to find your polling place in Virginia, Maryland and the District. You might also find WTOP's... more ›

On Tuesday, the American -ists will be celebrating democracy and hitting the polls, letting politicians know what they really think. It just made us wonder: if it were up to the -ist-a-verse, what would we be voting for? Londonist votes for better skincare, alternative spaces for art, cute little birds and the men who keep them, and concrete. Lots of concrete. Shanghaiist votes for one of the Bee Gees and Air Supply (it's a double-ticket),... more ›

With Restaurant Week over, we need another excuse to celebrate. And why not Clinton’s big 6-0? Since he's not too keen on turning the "new 40," we have a duty to live it up for him. DCist proposes a Bill Clinton restaurant crawl on which we'll visit his regular D.C. haunts. Lucky for us, his taste for greasy, down-home grub means we won't need to book many reservations through Open Table. more ›

Senior White House Correspondent, Washington Examiner more ›

In national news with local relevance, the Supreme Court ruled today that the federal government has the power to prosecute medical users of marijuana, even in states who have passed laws allowing the use of the drug under certain circumstances. Eleven states currently allow the use of marijuana if prescribed by a doctor -- among those Montana, Oregon, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii and five others -- a state of affairs that the 9th U.S. Circuit... more ›

With 8 days and counting until the election, the airwaves are getting mighty crowded. Candidates, pundits and celebrities are all vying for some air time this week in a last ditch effort to bring their political views to the TV watching public. They NYTimes reports that the week ahead is chock full of political programming: Viewers can see Sean Combs...with Greta Van Susteren on Fox News tonight. Later in the evening, Madeleine K. Albright, the... more ›

Honorary DCist and former president Bill Clinton has been hospitalized in New York City after complaining of chest pains. CNN.com is reporting doctors told the former president, who has no history of heart problems, that he needs bypass surgery. more ›

Jerrold Post, the former director of the CIA's Center for the Analysis of Personality and Political Behavior, will be at Politics and Prose Saturday evening to discuss his new book, "Leaders and Their Followers in a Dangerous World." more ›