WACKY QUESTIONS

Why do state quarters minted in Colorado appear in other states before they appear here? I have friends in Washington state who regularly get them before I do. - Robert, Brighton

Theoretically, the new quarters should be available everywhere at the same time, but for several reasons that might not always happen, said spokesmen for the U.S. Mint and the Federal Reserve. Coins are produced by the mint and distributed to banks by the Fed ahead of the release date, so they can be available nationwide at the same time; being a coin's throw from the Denver Mint won't give you an edge. But if a bank has a backlog of the previous state's quarter, it may not get as many new ones or get them as quickly as other banks. Also, rural areas get shipments through secondary channels and could lag behind metro areas. And not all quarters are created equal; three times as many have been minted for some states as others, based on demand at the time. How soon you'll find one in your pocket change is the luck of the draw.

Have a stumper? Call the Wacky Questions Research Center, 303-892-5225, or e-mail rudeenm@RockyMountainNews.com.

LENO

• President Bush met with the president of China at the White House. The Chinese president gave Bush a traditional Chinese gift: a bootleg copy of Mission Impossible 3, two weeks before it comes out.

• There have been a number of resignations at the White House. People are dropping faster than old guys hunting with Dick Cheney.

• Record temperatures in Texas. It was so hot 3,000 people were without power recently - 3001 if you count Tom DeLay.