This piece over at dKos just highlighted a recent NATO request that I’d not heard about. And what was that? They asked Russia for helicopters to use in Afghanistan. Because, you know, that worked out so well last time:
Do you think the person who thought that up understood the irony of it? Maybe they could suggest ground delivery, with BMPs and T-62s providing security?
Massive snowball fight at 14th and U, much fun being had. So what’s the reasonable way to react to your Hummer taking a hit from a snowball? Well, if you’re a veteran DC detective, you get out and start waving your gun around:
According to an eyewitness, a D.C. Police detective (pictured above w/ gun) went nuts after kids pelted his Hummer with snowballs at 14th and U Streets NW this afternoon. The veteran detective got out of his car and eventually grabbed for his gun, displaying it to the crowd. He did not immediately identify himself as a police officer. He calmed down once his fellow uniformed cop arrived. Apparently, someone called 911 to report a man with gun.
With police judgment like this, it’s no wonder that DC ends up paying out millions and millions in settlements related to police overreaction. For more detail (including pictures of the detective – you’ll want to be sure you never say boo to him, I’m sure, for fear of getting shot), check out the link above.
Update: And here are some fantastic photos of NYC pulling off what we couldn’t, it seems. Do click.
Perhaps the treasure rooms are running a little low? 
Looks like the Vatican has decided, as Cory Doctorow summarized it:
The [Vatican’s] statement cited a “great increase of affection and esteem for the person of the Holy Father” in recent years as contributing to a desire to use the Pontiff’s name for all manner of educational and cultural institutions, civic groups and foundations.
Due to this demand, the Vatican has felt it necessary to declare that “it alone has the right to ensure the respect due to the Successors of Peter, and therefore, to protect the figure and personal identity of the Pope from the unauthorized use of his name and/or the papal coat of arms for ends and activities which have little or nothing to do with the Catholic Church…”
“Consequently, the use of anything referring directly to the person or office of the Supreme Pontiff… and/or the use of the title ‘Pontifical,’ must receive previous and express authorization from the Holy See,” concluded the message released to the press.
The Catholic Church – trying to rule the world since, well . . . it came into existence.
So I’ve been joking (sorta) about Northern Virginia seceding from the rest of Virginia since, oh, about a year after I moved to Arlington (this makes it many many years). In my original formulation, I was all about reconstituting the original DC – it was going to be Arlington & Alexandria re-forming with the District. Then a year or so later, I realized that Falls Church isn’t the sleepy ‘burb I thought it was, and it would be unfair to leave them suffering in Virginia, so I added them in. And then – as all successful political strategies must do – my vision compromised a bit, and morphed to include Fairfax County. It’s not really my kind of place (as best I can tell, anyway – I only ever see it from a bike path or Dulles Airport), but it seems to work for a lot of people, and any state I’m going to help form has to have an international airport. So. That’s the plan that I’ve been pushing at parties for the past decade. Now? Well, perhaps it’s time to consider another addition.* Loudoun County.
I know, I know. Why would I want a place that is mostly low-tax-base horse farms** in a political unit that is otherwise urban/suburban?  And nevermind the political makeup, right? I mean, the whole point of something like secession is being able to pick your friends, no? For example, a friend in Loudoun recently wrote to tell me about a situation where:
A local committee was working to evaluate what to do with all the requests that come in throughout the year to use our County courthouse lawn here in Leesburg. They decided not to allow any use because there we so many applications for things such as bands. Many of the locals (many religious folks) protested because that would also mean no annual Christmas tree or nativity scene. Well the supervisors backed down to this protest and now are allowing up to 10 holiday “displays”.
Totally not the kind of place that would fit in with the new state, right? Except, well, here are summaries for the seven applications pending for the 10 spaces available for display:
* The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1177, in Leesburg, has applied to put up a Christmas tree from Dec. 10 through Jan. 1. Post members would provide the tree.
* Along with the VFW, the Knights of Columbus Holy Family Council #6831, of Leesburg, is applying to place a Christmas tree from Dec. 10 to Jan. 1. The tree would be provided by the organization, which would also provide the installation and removal of the tree on the requested days.
* Leesburg resident Dennis Welsh has requested to place a crÂche, or Nativity scene, on the southwest corner of the grounds.
* Loudoun Interfaith Bridges has requested permission to put up an interfaith display to include a Menorah, crescent, and Sikh display to honor the Jewish, Muslim and Sikh holidays in December. The group is requesting that the display go up the week of Dec. 14 or Dec. 21, in the corner with the crÂche.
* Leesburg resident Richard L. Wingrove is requesting the placing of a six-foot banner provided by Freedom From Religion Foundation, saying “At This Season of the Winter Solstice, May Reason Prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural World. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.” Wingrove is requesting the banner be placed in same area as the Nativity scene.
* Sugarland Run resident Edward R. Myers is applying for three signs to be placed on the fence around the courthouse in time for the Leesburg holiday parade to commemorate the Dec. 15 anniversary of the signing of the Bill of Rights. Myers put together a parody of the “12 Day of Christmas” song to include “12 master debaters, 11 cunning linguists, 10 percent jobless, 9 niggardly noobs, 8-speech as gay tweets, 7 teabagger tools, 6-ting safety screws, 5 birther-control rings, 4 sucky health care, 3-dom disappearing, 2 many bills and a red FCUK to you too.”
Any place that can produce that last application? Has a place in my future state.
*No, no, not Prince William. Are you crazy? That nutjob county is welcome to form its own country, fence and everything. I’ll help them build it.
**Actually, I don’t know if this is true. Like Fairfax, 95% of my experience with Loudoun is from the seat of my bike. And? There’s a lotta horse farms.
I wasn’t born there, but Hawaii was where we lived when I first started sorting out the concept of the globe. I have to admit, it didn’t make a lot of sense when I first conceived that WWII (which was everywhere at the time, in Hawaii – from the rusted anti-aircraft guns on the beach to a giant cross marking Kole Kole Pass) was in large part about killing Japanese people. Because, umm, weren’t the grandparents of my friends at school or the older people on the beach Japanese, too? And now, decades later? Better understood, but still the same reaction of horror, on a personal level.  But marking December 7th was always an important yearly event, and I’ll always note December 7th, 7:51am.
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