Yesterday, officials at the U.S. Mint unveiled yet another new design for the $1 coin. Or, to be more precise, four new designs. The new $1 coins, scheduled to enter circulation in Feb. 2007, are the first in a series that will bear the likenesses of the U.S. Presidents, four per year, in the order they held office (which raises a question about Grover Cleveland...apparently he gets two coins). Clearly, the mint is hoping that the popularity of the State themed quarters will carry over to these presidential dollars. I'm sure that the collectors will love them (though, like the quarter, they won't be a great investment, since so many people will be saving them), but I have my doubts about their success as currency for commerce. As long the U.S. continues to print and circulate paper $1 bills, people will continue to prefer the paper bills to coins for their cash transactions. If the government is serious about wanting a successful $1 coin (and there are good financial arguments for it, namely the longevity of the coin compared to the very short life span of the average $1 bill, which is only about 22 months), then they need to commit to a total switch from paper to metal.

( The designs for the new dollar coins )

Further reading: Press Release from the U.S. Mint
Article from today's Washington Post

A joint study by the Virginia Dept. of Transportation, officials from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the City of Alexandria, and Fairfax County, released last Friday, blame the record breaking rainfall for the flooding that damaged or destroyed a number of homes in the Huntington and Arlington Terrace areas of Fairfax County. Residence of these neighborhoods had blamed the flooding on changes to Cameron Run resulting from the Bridge construction project. However, the study suggested that, in the worst-case scenario, the construction only added 5-10 inches to flood, an amount insufficient to have had any significant impact in the outcome in June. All the homes affected by the flood sit on the 100 year flood plain for Cameron Run.

I'm sure this report will not satisfy the residents of the affected neighborhoods, many of whom did not carry flood insurance, and are looking for someone to blame for their losses. However, the fourteen food rise in water level along Cameron Run suggests that whatever impact the construction had was negligible. Perhaps the more relevant issue might be the failure to build a flood wall or earthen berm, as recommended in the past by unnamed federal agencies (presumably following the flooding in this area in the wake of Hurricane Agnes in 1972).

[from the Examiner]

Fliers have recently appeared at bus stops along some of Washington, DC's most heavily used bus routes offering free bus passes for individuals who report buses that fall behind their schedule. The fliers look official, and include the Metro's big "M" logo on them. The problem is, its all a hoax, as the few people who have actually called Metro have found out. While I can understand the frustration of relying on chronically late buses to get around, but I'm not really sure what this hoax was meant to accomplish. It has created some attention, but was it worth the effort of conceiving and implementing the hoax?

[from The Washington Post]

While I'm sure they meant it to be a compliment, an ad campaign by a Washington, DC area nonprofit development group has romance novel fans feeling insulted. The ads have two photos: The first, labeled "Average Subway Rider" shows a man standing on a subway car reading a romance novel; the other, labeled "Greater Washington Subway Rider" shows a man on a subway car reading Plato's "Republic". While it seems that the ads were meant to convey the idea that people in the Washington area are smarter than average, it seems to have backfired, as fans of romance novels object to the perceived message that smart people don't read romance novels.

Now, I don't read romance novels myself...they just aren't to my taste. However, I'm reluctant to label people based on their tastes in books. I know some exceptionally bright people who enjoy the mental escape provided by romance novels. Which makes me wonder what the people who made this ad were thinking...could they really have not realized that romance novel fans might find this a bit insulting?

[from The Washington Post]

With about twenty minutes left in his flight Saturday, a pilot on Air Canada Jazz Flight 8475 left the cockpit to use the washroom at the back of the Bombardier CRJ-100 jet, leaving the First Officer at the controls. A flight attendant also remained in the cockpit. When the pilot returned, he found the cockpit door either locked or stuck. After about a ten minute struggle, the crew was able to take the door off its hinges and the pilot was able to land the plane.

[via Canada.com]

This is a reminder that there are still dumb people out there:

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa060816_mo_garlandhomeax.79f109d.html

Please keep this in mind and protect yourself accordingly. That's all I'm saying...

From the July 24, 2006 issue of Time:

8,591 - Number of potential terrorist targets in Indiana--Including the Amish Country Popcorn Factory--as of January 2006, the most of any state in the National Asset Database, according to a Department of Homeland Security report released last week.

5,687 - Potential targets in New York State. Among spots not listed: Times Square in New York City.

3,212 - Potential targets in California, the most populous state.

Fondest Wishes, Forwarded
Russian Woman's Misdirected Missive Sent to Her Prince

By Theresa Vargas
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 10, 2006; Page B02

And so the story that began with a prince has a happy ending.

The letter that a young Russian college student mistakenly sent to the Prince William County courthouse instead of Prince William, the future King of England, was forwarded to its intended royal recipient yesterday.

( The rest of the article )