Four Protesters Arrested: This spring, 41 people were arrested in a protest over ongressional budget wrangling and D.C. rights. Today, four people got that treatment. DCist notes, “Pete Ross, the shadow senator candidate, was the first to be arrested, perhaps burnishing his common-man bona fides after lending his campaign $102,000.” +2

Up On The Rooftop: Bold move from a Georgetowner. There’s now a 20-foot inflatable Santa Claus sitting on the top of a modern rowhouse facing the Whitehurst freeway. And how does it survive the air up there? It’s weighed down by 200 pounds of sandbags. Says the guy who put it there: “I had this vision of it being like a runaway Macy’s Day Float Balloon.” +3

Rodney Chickenfield: The Post‘s Mike Rosenwald stands up for the dignity and respect of Maryland’s chickens, with a list of chicken facts: “Chickens are very important. They are not just cuddly. They factor heavily (roughly five pounds a pop) into the state’s revenue-generating equation: Chickens plus the people who take care of them and sell them equals jobs plus tax dollars.” Cluck, cluck, indeed. +3

“Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”: Got to love the District—-where a seafood restaurant in Shaw sells bulgogi and offers you forks or chopsticks. Chris Shott called up other Arthur Treacher’s franchises to find out if this is a common menu variation. In Ohio, they disavow the practice:”Korean barbecue? This is Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips. We’re a seafood restaurant.” +2

Yesterday’s Needle rating: 33 Today’s score: +10 Friday Bonus +5 Today’s Needle rating: 48