Art Therapy: Broken up about the Redskins releasing fan favorite Chris Cooley? You can take solace in the news that Cooley’s Leesburg gallery, which features his pottery, will remain open. +2

Moon to Be a Different Color: Blue Moon: not just for beer names tonight. The moon will appear blue tonight, a phenomenon that won’t occur again until 2015. +1

It’s Labor Day Weekend: Labor Day can be a bummer, especially if you’re shackled to the academic calendar—-shoutout, Strake Jesuit in Houston!—-but take advantage of that final chance to have a really good time before summer ends. As Audrey Tautou says in 2006’s Priceless, roughly paraphrased, “Being drunk in the day is like having a secret.” +2

Lockdown: Bike thefts are getting so frequent around Metro stations that Metro police have started handing out bike locks. -3

Thursday‘s Needle rating: 83 Today’s score: +2 Today’s Needle rating: 85