The Christopher Columbus memorial fountain at Columbus Circle in front of Union Station is, like so many of the monuments in D.C., under appreciated. When we asked a man leaning against the marble what he thought about it, if he liked it, all he did was shrug his shoulders and say, “Eh.” Compare that to the day it was unveiled. It was June 8, 1912, a day the New York Times called “second only to…

With the opening of its ongoing Exploring the Early Americas exhibit today, the Library of Congress marks the beginning of a transformation that by the Summer of 2008 will “merge cutting-edge technology with the knowledge and inspiration embodied in the Library’s unparalleled collections and curators.” The exhibit features some of the 3,000 items representing the “beginning” of America (that is, the beginning of European documented America), that Jay I. Kislak has been collecting for more…

>> We interviewed former Grandaddy member Jim Fairchild earlier today, so be sure to check out his show tonight at Black Cat under the moniker All Smiles. Fairchild opens for David Bazan, formerly the driving force behind Pedro the Lion, will open along with Lavender Diamond. 8 p.m., $12. >> Palace of Wonders is hosting a special Day of the Dead performance of Philadelphia’s The Squidling Brothers’ Clown Centrick Sideshow, a vaudeville and burlesque…

Welcome back to the work week, D.C. While some may have been celebrating the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas yesterday, others were protesting for one cause or another. Students at American University organized to push for president Ben Ladner’s dismissal (which came last night), while anti-circumcision activists, at right, took to the streets outside the Washington Convention Center, where the American Academy of Pediatrics was meeting (yes, we will have a full write-up…

Good morning, Washington. — Over the weekend, car owners in Anacostia got free anti-theft devices for their vehicles from the Metropolitan Police, the AP, via WTOP reports. In the District, one-in-three cars stolen are from east of the Anacostia River. Police are training church members to patrol streets to prevent cars being stolen during Sunday services. — Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who represents a good chunk of Montgomery County in Congress, was taken…