Jefferson Nickel and Willem Dafoe

We are getting arty money in America. Sort of. Not quite like Europe or some third world countries that have cool animals or popular humans in weird clothing posing in watermarks. Oh wait, we are getting some of that. Coins are always changing now. Quarters for every state. Have you noticed as the quarters are issued from first to last state they are getting more and more boring? And hard to tell what they are depicting? I hear that states fight each other for things like birds and animals and crops and bridges.

They are redoing the Jefferson Nickel. Tom will be large and sort of smirking. Where did I see that face before? Some sadistic villain in a movie. with funny sadistic teeth. yes, Willem Dafoe. William the Foe! What were they thinking? I wonder if this is some sort of in your face advertising gimmick for a movie about Jefferson with Willem as the lead. You know, the movie that tells the truth about Tommy and his slaves. TV ads don't work anymore, everyone tivos right past them.

Half a Stick of Butter

I had lunch with Bill today. Bill and I used to work together. I designed stuff and he made the tools and machines to build the stuff. We both are semi wondering (and wandering) around 5 years later. Bill won't eat anything un-American. Not even Tex-Mex, how American is that? Even Dubya probably eats Tex-Mex. So we settle for one of those bars-in-front, dining-in-the-back kind of places that have lunch specials like Cajun Chicken over Pasta. We order the Cajun Chicken over Pasta. I drowned mine in red pepper flakes and sprinkle cheese. It was the conversation that mattered. We have a company in common we are consulting for. We discuss cool ways to make an adjustable thing and lament the dearth of even semi-motiviated workers in our little corner of Manufacturing America who couldn't even put it together with a brain transplant from Peter Drucker. We discuss what medications we are on. We used to talk about women, especially those that would walk right by us at the moment. We had a rating system, we were bad. Now talking about medication is better? I'm not sure.

We part company on the corner. I go to my car and right on the edge of the brick walkway, right next to the Japanese restaurant that Bill won't eat in, right next to the open air park-for-50-cents parking area is half a stick of butter, laying on the ground, with the wrapper and all. It is one of those sticks of butter that comes 4 to a box. It is half of a quarter. Laying on the ground. It couldn't have been there long. Of course it was 15 degrees out, how do I know for sure. How did it get there? No one lives near there, the Japanese restaurant doesn't use store bought butter if they even use butter. Half a stick of butter. I stop and stare. A lady stops and sees me staring at the ground and stares too. So does a big giant policeman wearing a uniform that is way too tight. He has a big holster belt thing and a flip book for writing parking tickets. "How did that get there?" I ask out loud. I am thinking if this cop was from Law and Order we would be a half an hour closer to solving a murder.

No Darn Radon

First blog, have no idea how to work this. Have no idea what my intentions are, random, or in my case, radon musings. Just like a jillion other blogs I suppose.

Today I stuck this little black ant trap looking thing on my mantle. It will measure radon gas in my house for 3 months. I suspect everyone who lives here is being poisoned by it. Built the house 22 years ago. No basement, slab on grade. Grade is on the Reading Prong. See how serious this is:

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/rp/radon_division/PA_Radon_Story1.htm

Did a test about 21 years ago, Radon 10x safe levels. I found some holes and patched them up. Installed a vent (sort of). Decided to forget the whole matter, figuring I would die from something stupid like falling in front of a speeding truck while riding my bike. Then I see a news bulletin about radon. Seems as though they changed their minds about safe levels. Like calcium, fat and salt, everything has to get reworked. I sent away for the test kit, the little ant trap looking thing. I will keep you posted. I am wondering if what everyone ails from, sniffles, ennui, short tempers, sore necks, is this radon poisoning? I will keep you posted.