• The first cases of completely bathetic and overblown panic have been found identified in Virginia. Sad. [WTOP] MORE »

In the continuum of America’s Problems, right before everyone was concerned about the economy and right after the environment actually starting melting, there was the issue of the Muslins, a dangerous sect of Hawaiian Christian Platonists who went rogue for a few years, in Iraq. You’ll recall The War, yes? Anyway, few books about that thing, and how it’s still a problem, despite not being mentioned on any blogs for awhile. Also, there seems to be an early onslaught of nostalgia for capitalism going around, which in this week’s column is comically juxtaposed against the closing of one of DC’s most beloved bookstores, Vertigo Books. Irony! MORE »

• Local athletics club the Washington Nationals is getting “special treatment” from DC, as the city has agreed to pay to keep the Metro running late if baseball games run late. No word yet on whether the same applies if games just feel like they’re taking forever. [DC Examiner] MORE »

It’s Ladies Week on the DC book tour circuit, as there are a number of biographical-y things about important historical events that one wouldn’t necessarily equate with certain obscure ladies who were actually quite integral, in these important historical events. For instance, the New Deal. And “liberty,” as a concept. Also special guest appearances by your Congressman Chris Van Hollen and moderately popular Newseum exhibit Cokie Roberts. MORE »

• There is a blue crab baby boom, in the Chesapeake! These baby boomer crabs are distinctive for sporting blue “aprons” around their midsection and for their affinity for waxing nostalgic about Saturday Night Live episodes that aired between 1975-1979. [Washington Post] MORE »

One is not born an enemy of Christopher Hitchens, one becomes one. Take the nascent case of a one Adrian Wooldridge, who’s parading around town with his new book, God Is Back, all about how God is back! Adrian Wooldridge has a world of Slate columns originally scribbled in pink highlighter on Andrew Sullivan’s bathroom floor tiles coming his way. Sad. MORE »

• A guy was caught selling guns from a potato chip stand in a market. It was as easy as catching a gun salesman at a potato chip stand, said police. [Washington Examiner] MORE »

America can no longer afford non-fiction, it seems, so there is a huge bump in fiction book tour traffic to Washington this week. Still, watch out, there’s something that includes the word “twilight” which is an immediate red flag, and another thing about how America is sad because it can’t “dominate other nations” like it used to, in college. MORE »

• The Nats Park is a getting fancytime makeover in the form of new food vendors and an expansion of the restaurant there, Red Porch Restaurant. [DC Examiner] MORE »

Lots of childrens’ books things at Politics & Prose this week, but no matter, there are things for well-behaved adults such as yourselves too. There’s Cesar Chavez’s death quinceanera, plus an EXPOSE on Big Pet, which you should read before Michael Moore makes it into a movie and then it is not acceptable to care about in public anymore. MORE »

• Get ready, it’s Cherry Blossom time! Starting tomorrow all the out-of-towners you just had to accommodate, in January, will suddenly take an interest in visiting again. [DCist] MORE »

Death row is so popular right now, in fictions. It’s like the new working as an assistant to a magazine editor or post-9/11 inquiries into Meanings of Things. So go hear two authors talk about their new death row books, plus a couple economics suggestion handbooks things because that’s still going on too isn’t it? MORE »

• DC’s socialist bicycle share klub thing is expanding! From 10 racks of bicycles that seem both appealing and logistically problematic to 50 racks of bicycles that seem both appealing and logistically problematic. [WTOP] MORE »