Two Bits

So today in change I got a couple Oregon quarters. which rate up there with the Connecticut quarters as a favorite design. While a lot of states have gone for a hodgepodge of symbols and icons, both states have chosen single, solid elements that embody their states and give their coins a distinctive appearance and a unified feel.

And speaking of unified, the Seattle Times led section B with an article reporting that the Washington State Representitives, Democrat and Republican, are standing united against Enron. The bankrupt and corrupt energy corporation, after gouging western states during a manufactured energy crunch, is now seeking damages against the states that terminated their agreements after they realized they were being had. Opposing the corporation's additional gouging (of some $125 million in Snohomish County alone), the entire Washington State Delegation are supporting an amendment to an energy bill to keep Enron from pursuing those funds. What makes this doubly impressive is that not only that GOP members are supporting the amendment, but that their numbers include Doc Hastings of Pasco, who is in charge of investigating his own party superior, Tom Delay (who, in turn, would rather Enron get another break). And though he's not mentioned in the article - "unanimous support" means that our local rep, Dave Reichert, is on board as well. This is a case of the state pulling together, and I think its a wonderful thing.

Oh, and the person sponsoring the amendment? Senator Maria Cantwell. So it looks like she has no trouble working across party lines on some things. And, to their credit, neither do some of the other representitives of our state.

Now if we can only get a quarter as cool as Oregon's.

More later,