Category Archives: Over the Transom

Not Too Cheap to Meter

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On Saturday I got one of ComEd’s periodic notices about our household electricity consumption. “You used 14% less electricity than your efficient neighbors” (the company’s bold), the letter tells me, during the period from November 20 to December 22, 2015. By golly, that’s awfully green of us, but I can’t think what we did any differently last month than any other time.

For the year, however, “You used 7% more electricity than your efficient neighbors. This costs you about $46 extra per year.” Dang.

My neighbors, at least according to ComEd for the purpose of its comparison, are about 100 households whose dwellings are about the same size as ours. Those annoying efficient neighbors are the “most efficient 20 percent” of that group, though at least for last month, we were efficient neighbors for other people, without even trying.

One more datum: From January to November 2015, we used 5,351 kWh, down from 6,125 kWh during the same 11 months in 2014. Also how this happened, I couldn’t say. According to the trove of weather data that’s the Weather Underground, there were 799 cooling degree days in 2014 and 806 in 2015 (as measured at O’Hare, which is close enough).

That means ’15 was a little warmer, but not much, which is an important consideration, since running the AC is the main contributor to high household electric usage over a year. I know that because the handy ComEd graph of our electric usage throughout 2015 (also in the letter) spikes like the Matterhorn in July-August-September.

Never mind flying cars and all that imagined future hooey. The future (that is, now) should have included that business about “too cheap to meter.”

Africa-Dzonga 5c

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One of my small-change-of-the-world coins has words in the Khoisan language on it. That, I’ve discovered, is a modern umbrella term for the peoples once known as the Bushmen and the Hottentots, and their languages. The words on the coin are rendered ǃKE E: ǀXARRA ǁKE, but don’t ask me how that’s pronounced. The English translation is, “diverse people unite.”

That’s the motto found on the South African coat of arms, which happens to be on the observe of the 2003 South African 5-cent piece that I have. A lot of recent SA coinage features the coat of arms, which was adopted by the post-Apartheid government in 2000.

The coat of arms also includes ears of wheat, elephant tusks, a shield, two human figures, a spear and a knobkierie. Over all that is a secretary bird and a rising sun. Around the coat of arms is Africa-Dzonga, which is “South Africa” in Tsonga, one of the 11 official languages of the country.
SAfrica5cOBVApparently the languages take turns each year on the coinage, beginning in 2002. Tsonga’s turn happened to come the next year, at least on the 5-cent pieces (it seems to be different on other denominations).

The reverse of the coin is simpler: a blue crane and the value.
SAfrica5cREVMinting of the copper-plated steel 5-cent piece stopped in 2012, a victim of inflation, but the coins weren’t demonetized, so it’s still technically worth about three-tenths of US cent. The 1- and 2-cent pieces were discontinued ten years earlier.

Manto Mavrogenous, Face on the 2-Drachma Coin

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Among many other things, coinage is (or can be) educational. Take Manto Mavrogenous (Μαντώ Μαυρογένους), for instance. Until recently I didn’t know who that was. Then I acquired a demonetized 2-drachma piece, which has her portrait on it, so I had to find out more. I still don’t know that much — it would take more digging than I want to spend on the matter right now — but I learned some some basics, from the likes of this site and this one.

Such as that she participated in an important way in the Greek War of Independence, especially by outfitting rebel forces at her own expense, and encouraging other wealthy Europeans to support the cause. Apparently she was the subject of a Greek movie in 1971, but her story cries out for a big-budget biopic in our time, with a few changes, of course. It’s one thing for her to be Demetrios Ypsilantis’ lover, but the script can also spice things up with a love triangle that involves Lord Byron as well, played by some handsome English actor. Did she ever really meet Lord Byron? Details, details.

The Hellenic Republic thought enough of her to put her on the 2 drachma coin from 1988 to 2001, which was retired when the country traded for euros (and a peck o’ trouble).
2 drachma2 drachmaIt’s a nice little coin, and unlike many copper-plated coins of recent vintage, such as the U.S. cent since 1982, it’s actually copper. The nautical design on the obverse (at least, I think it’s the observe) makes sense in the context of Manto Mavrogenous’ contributions to kicking Ottoman butt, a good bit of which involved raising and paying for ships to fight near Mykonos.

Falkland Islands Penny

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Not long ago I came into possession of a Falkland Islands penny. I wish I could say that it’s worth a lot, but the currency is pegged to the pound sterling — and probably minted in the UK — that would put it at about US 1.44 cents. A proof issue might be worth more, but mine isn’t a proof, and technically not even uncirculated, though it’s pretty shiny.

The coin is copper-plated steel. This particular design was issued in 1998 and ’99, as engraved by Arnold Machin (1911-1999). If you’ve handled a British coin or stamp made during the latter half of the 20th century, he likely had something to do with it. The Falklands coins seem to have been among his last works (he did most of the other denominations, too).

Naturally the observe features Queen Elizabeth.

FIpennyObvThe reverse sports a pair of gentoo penguins and their egg.

FIpennyRevThat seems fitting, though there ought to be a suitable motto as well. Something like, THEY’RE OURS, BUGGER OFF.

Otis B. Driftwood for Congress Robocall

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Got the first campaign robocall of the election the other day, ahead of the Illinois primary on March 15. It happened to be supporting one of the Republican candidates running for that party’s nomination for the 8th Congressional District. Currently Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, represents the district, but she’s not up for re-election, so it’s an open seat. Duckworth wants the Democratic nomination for Senate, to have a go at unseating U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk come November.

The following is the kind of thing I like to look up. Quick: how many U.S. Senators from Illinois were members of the Whig party during their terms? None.

But Illinois has had seven U.S. Representatives who were Whigs, most famously Abraham Lincoln. Ballotpedia, at least, lists Elihu B. Washburne as the last Whig Congressman from Illinois, serving from 1853 to 1869, but that’s cheating a little, since he was famed as a Radical Republican leader during Reconstruction. Guess he started out as a Whig, as many Republicans did.

Another tangent: Albert P. Forsythe, Congressman from Illinois from 1879 to 1881, is listed by Ballotpedia as a member of the Greenback Party. Can’t say you hear too much about them any more, though they did support radical ideas for the Gilded Age, such as the 8-hour day.

Anyway, let’s call our robocalling candidate Otis B. Driftwood. The following is the text of his call, using that name, preserved here for posterity (if any).

I’m Otis B. Driftwood, and I’m running for Congress as a Republican in the 8th District to replace Representative Duckworth with a conservative. I’m pro-life and support gun rights. I will vote to lower taxes and build a southern wall to protect our borders. Please visit DriftwoodforCongress.com to learn more about my campaign. I’m Otis B. Driftwood and this message was paid for an authorized by the Otis B. Driftwood for Congress Committee.

Note the harebrained policy position that probably wouldn’t have been mentioned six months ago. Wonder how that got in there.

Recent Bumper Sticker Sightings

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Next year’s election is all still talk, though more strangely entertaining than most year-before politicking. Hints of it are appearing outside the chattering classes, though.

Spotted a 2016 political bumper sticker the other day, one advocating the candidacy of the junior Senator from Texas. I’d guess his supporters are a little thin on the ground here in Illinois, but there have to be some. I’ve seen more stickers around here late this year supporting the Senate’s token socialist.

Another sticker on the same car said Marriage = Man Outline + Woman Outline, which might have been there awhile, growing ever more quixotic. Also, a sticker indicated that the owner used to be a Marine. And finally, one urged GO VEGAN. Make what you will of all that.

1 Afghani

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A cold front blew in last night, bringing not only colder air, but also air in motion. I woke up at least once during the small hours to hear the vigorous rush of wind outside. Reminds me of the last graph of Chapter 11 of The Sun Also Rises (not for the first time, but no smoking for me): “After supper we went upstairs and smoked and read in bed to keep warm. Once in the night I woke and heard the wind blowing. It felt good to be warm and in bed.”

This collection of Zone Rouge images would have been fitting yesterday, but I only found it today.

One more Asian banknote for now: an Afghan afghani, formerly issued by Da Afghanistan Bank, but replaced in recent years with a coin. I can’t help but smile at that institution’s name. Who issues the money in Afghanistan? “Da Afghanistan Bank, mon.”

AfghaniREVAfghaniOBVThese days, 1 afghani = 0.0151515 U.S. dollars. The obverse features the seal of Da Afghanistan Bank, which includes the design from the famed gold 20-stater of Eucratides, everyone’s favorite Greco-Bactrian king, or usurper, take your pick. Unless you’re fonder of, say, Menander, “who conquered more tribes than Alexander the Great.”

On the reverse is the Blue Mosque-Shrine of Ali in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, which dates from the 15th century. Archnet tells us that “the shrine was restored extensively in the mid-twentieth century and draws Shi’a pilgrims throughout the year, and especially during the celebration of New Year (Neuroz).”

500 Dong

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Tag line of recent email: Your Perfect Christmas Starts NOW! I object. Christmas doesn’t start now, and to quote W.C. Fields, “There’s nothing in this world that is perfect.”

Here is 500 dong, a bit of the currency of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, that nation’s official name even now, despite decades of various kinds of capitalist enterprise blooming there. I wonder if slightly brighter than average, but still adolescent Vietnamese boys ever jest among themselves, “Hey! Know what that means in English?”

500dongOBV500dong REVThe 500-dong note hasn’t been made since 2003, so little are they worth (500 dong = 0.022295 U.S. dollars). This one is dated 1988, so it’s the kind we might have handled in Saigon in 1994. Ho Chi Minh got to be on the obverse of all of the old notes, and gets to be on all of the post-2003 notes as well.

That’s when Vietnam switched to polymer banknotes, as some countries have. Canada and Australia also come to mind; I picked up a $5 Canadian polymer note in August, and among other things, it resists tearing. The new Vietnamese notes begin at 10,000 dong and go up to 500,000, or nearly $22.30, which probably still has considerable purchasing power in the Socialist Republic. Two hundred to 5,000 dong have been relegated to coins.

On the reserve is the port of Haiphong. I’m pretty sure I first heard of the place in the context of the mining of Haiphong Harbor, which I just learned the U.S. Navy called Operation Pocket Money.

20 Kyats

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I’ll bet the Burmese kyat isn’t one of the world’s better-known currencies. Until lately I didn’t know much more than the name myself, but this 20-kyat note inspired me to look into the currency a bit more. K20, to use the abbreviation.
20KyatsBurmaOBV20KyatBurmaREVFor a very modest amount of U.S. currency, you can buy a number of crisp banknotes from the developing world, to use the euphemism of choice these days among us First World inhabitants. One thing the euphemism can’t hide is how little the notes are worth in terms of hard currency. For example, Google readily tells me that 20 Myanmar Kyats = 0.01552 U.S. Dollars as of today.

Still, some of the notes are pretty, and most of the them are interesting, and that’s what you get for your hard currency.

On the obverse is a Chinthe, a creature apparently beloved by the Burmese and a common feature on most modern Burmese banknotes. In statue form they’re usually depicted in pairs in front of Burmese temples and pagodas, guarding the place (and in Sri Lanka, I understand).

The reverse depicts a fountain in People’s Square and Park in Rangoon, which can be seen in this video, toward the end. Elephants supporting the world or just the fountain?

John F. Tracy’s Plaque

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I’ve seen some plaques in my time, such as ones commemorating the high-water mark of Hurricane Ike, a vintage Dairy Queen sign, the 25,000th 7-11 franchise, the site of Huey Long’s assassination, an outstanding civil engineering achievement of the 1980s, a Civil War veteran who died in 1947, Bill Murray’s footprint, even Addison Mizner’s pet spider monkeys. Guess I’m a sucker for words carved in metal trying to beat forgetfulness, though I think forgetfulness will eventually overcome such efforts.

Saw another plaque on Sunday, behind the Ridge Historical Society in the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago. A curious thing, this plaque, placed right next to the back entrance and mounted on a short block. Though made of metal, it was well worn by years of weather — close to a century, it seems.

There was no one was around to tell me about it, but my guess would be that it had been moved there from somewhere else nearby. It said (in all caps, actually, but I’m capitalizing the lines that are particularly large on the plaque):

1852      1922
ROCK ISLAND LINES
Seventieth Anniversary
October Tenth
The memorial tree planted nearby
is dedicated
by the Rock Island in affectionate memory
of
JOHN F. TRACY
Who by industry courage and loyalty
through every vicissitude signally
aided in the development of the
CHICAGO ROCK ISLAND & PACIFIC RAILWAY
into a great transportation system
DEVOTED TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE

The Rock Island is remembered in later decades thanks to Alan Lomax and Leadbelly and others, though that’s fading too, and it was an important railroad in its day (and a client of Lincoln’s in its earliest years). It was also a link in the Grand Excursion of 1854, which is known to us Millard Fillmore fans.

John Tracy’s not so well remembered. My guess would be that he lived somewhere in Beverly, and was long dead by 1922. A small amount of checking reveals he was an executive of the railroad, including its president from 1866 to ’77. A Gilded Age railroad tycoon! His story is probably in an out-of-print volume somewhere, maybe at the Ridge Historical Society. A book that’s no one’s read in years, and a story that probably doesn’t involve diamond-tipped walking sticks and lighting cigars with $100 banknotes, alas.