NationStates Jolt Archive

Quite literally:

Users of the drug crystal methamphetamine may be causing euro banknotes to disintegrate, German police have told Der Spiegel magazine.

A 2003 report by the Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research in Nuremberg found that 90% of German euros were contaminated with cocaine.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6142912.stm

I think many people were expecting the Euro project to disintergrate over time, but I doubt many thought it would happen in this way. But, this money does suit the Euro very well; weak, full of holes and not worth the paper it's written on.

*checks purse*

Nope, they're still holding together nicely. :p

That's one way to boost the economy: Force people to spend their money before it falls apart!

So, not only is crystal meth bad for you - it literally lets you go broke in no time.

*checks purse*

Nope, they're still holding together nicely. :p

But you're in Ireland!

But you're in Ireland!

Yes... your point? :confused:

That's one way to boost the economy: Force people to spend their money before it falls apart!

That's so ridiculous it's ingenius. :p

But you're in Ireland!

*Raises eyebrow*

I'm not sure that deserves the dignity of an answer...

I'm not sure that deserves the dignity of an answer...
That statement reminds me of the time I spent on a Kingdom Hearts fanforum. Everytime I used that statement people would say "but you're replying anyway..." then giggle to themselves like the self-absorbed assholes they were. :rolleyes:

As for the Euro...I'm an American. I use American dollars. Thus, the state of the actual pieces of currency that make up the Euro is meaningless to me.

I always said the Euro wasn't a 'Hard' currency and that they'd have 'liquidity'problems with the reserve later on. :D

I bet the crystal meth dealers are scared shitless. Their profits could simply turn to dust. (Which isn't really a bad thing. But funny!)

But, this money does suit the Euro very well; weak, full of holes and not worth the paper it's written on.

You do know that the euro is relatively stable and one of the more valuable currencies out there? In value, it outperforms the US dollar, for instance...

Now, I know where you were going with your joke, and as a filthy Swede still clutching his dear kronor I have no love for the euro, but let's not be false in our ridicule?

Anyway, that money is contaminated with drugs is nothing new. I read a Straight Dope article about it years ago.

While it's true that crystal meth causes Euros to disintegrate, using crack cocaine on a 5 Euro note causes it to transform magically into a 10 Euro note!
Or something, I can't remember.

http://www.snopes.com/business/money/cocaine.asp


Besides, why does having money contaminated with cocaine make it suddenly about to fall apart?


Hell, I'm far more disgusted by the fact that most bills are probaby contaminated with some stranger's ball-sweat after he stuffed it into his front pocket before it circulated to me.... so I do the same just to pass the grossness along!

:p

Yes... your point? :confused:

I'm not sure that deserves the dignity of an answer...

Well, aren't they talking about German Euros? They circulate thoughout the Eurozone, sure, but I'd imagine that the vast majority of Euro trading happens within respective nations.

Unless Cabra is being sent Euros from Germany.

Well, aren't they talking about German Euros? They circulate thoughout the Eurozone, sure, but I'd imagine that the vast majority of Euro trading happens within respective nations.

Unless Cabra is being sent Euros from Germany.

Well, if the notes circulate the same way the coins do, I guess I've got about 25-35% non-Irish Euro notes in my wallet right now.

Just regarding the "jokes"...I can see no evidence that the Euro is in any way less stable than the Dollar for example.

It's a widely accepted currency, backed by a reputable central bank and lots of economic power. People seem quite happy to take it.

Just regarding the "jokes"...I can see no evidence that the Euro is in any way less stable than the Dollar for example.

It's a widely accepted currency, backed by a reputable central bank and lots of economic power. People seem quite happy to take it.

Sure, as long as they keep taking them down there on the continent. Up here, where we're all better than them, we'll keep our kronor, thankyouverymuch.

(Quiet you, Finland! The Mark sucked anyway, so your trade wasn't about losing anything, and seeing as you have such a short history of independence, it was eerily suitable....)

Sure, as long as they keep taking them down there on the continent. Up here, where we're all better than them, we'll keep our kronor, thankyouverymuch.
:D

Well, I'm sure if you ask the people it actually concerns, ie the big Swedish companies, they would probably prefer to have the euro, seeing as to how it makes it so much easier to work in other eurozone countries without having to change money all the time.

As for the people...meh. As if it mattered whether it says "kronor" or "euro" on the shiny piece of paper they keep under their matress. They have no real reason for not wanting the euro, just irrational nationalist convulsions.

The same goes for the Brits too, by the way. And indeed any other country in the EU free trade zone that doesn't have the euro yet.

:D

the big Swedish companies

What about the little local swedish companies? and the little local british companies? what benefit would it be to the corner shop or the fruit and veg shop to have to buy all new tills to get it to say the price in euros rather than pounds? (or kronor :P)

Well, if the notes circulate the same way the coins do, I guess I've got about 25-35% non-Irish Euro notes in my wallet right now.

Can't you tell from the pictures? Or are the notes not marked like the coins are? Are the coins even marked?

What about the little local swedish companies? and the little local british companies? what benefit would it be to the corner shop or the fruit and veg shop to have to buy all new tills to get it to say the price in euros rather than pounds? (or kronor :P)
Would it matter? It seems that the rest of Europe somehow managed.

but there is no need for them to manage! we are fine with our pound

Can't you tell from the pictures? Or are the notes not marked like the coins are? Are the coins even marked?

The notes are not marked, they are equal everywhere.
The coins have different backs for every country.

but there is no need for them to manage! we are fine with our pound

That's not how modern government works. Today, the motto is:

"If it ain't broke, spend millions on a consultation document trying to work out how to fix it. Spend millions more advertising why such a change is necessary in the light of the obvious opposition. Say that you don't care how well it's working, it still needs fixing, and you're going to do it your way. Get bogged down by the simple logic, compromise, then botch the unnecessary job."

Congratulations. You're now left with a perfect working example of Blair's Britain.

but there is no need for them to manage! we are fine with our pound
Why?

Now, if by "fine" you mean "still alive", then yeah. But it should be quite obvious to everyone involved that Britain (which does most of its trade with eurozone countries) would have much to gain if both British and foreign companies no longer had to speculate in currency markets to get their business over with.

Can't you tell from the pictures? Or are the notes not marked like the coins are? Are the coins even marked?

Just read what I said again... how would I be able to tell where the coins are from if they weren't different for each country? And if the notes were marked, I wouldn't have to estimate based on the coins, would I?

:D

Well, I'm sure if you ask the people it actually concerns, ie the big Swedish companies, they would probably prefer to have the euro, seeing as to how it makes it so much easier to work in other eurozone countries without having to change money all the time.

Actually, the relatively low value of the krona has always been a benefit to the "big Swedish companies." Any country with a largely export-oriented economy such as our own benefits from a weaker currency since its products are cheaper on the international market - just look at China and the artificially low yuan business that people were bitching about a few years back.

Not to mention that our largest export market are non-euroland countries (US + UK + Denmark + Norway = 33% of exports) and not euroland (Germany + Finland + France + The Netherlands + Belgium = 29.6% of exports) further eroding your already feeble point about the euro making things "easier." Keeping the krona means we have a weaker currency relative to both the euro and the dollar, while embracing the euro means we lose the edge against the euro zone and also end up with a stronger currency than that of the US. Not a very desirable thing...

As for the people...meh. As if it mattered whether it says "kronor" or "euro" on the shiny piece of paper they keep under their matress. They have no real reason for not wanting the euro, just irrational nationalist convulsions.

The same goes for the Brits too, by the way. And indeed any other country in the EU free trade zone that doesn't have the euro yet.

Whatever. Some of us have not lost sight of the inevitability of the EU burning and crashing, and think we should cut our losses (which have been huge) and abandon the wretched EU entirely, already. The rest of you will be able to keep your parliament-switching lunacy of a democratic deficit...

What about the little local swedish companies? and the little local british companies? what benefit would it be to the corner shop or the fruit and veg shop to have to buy all new tills to get it to say the price in euros rather than pounds? (or kronor :P)

New tills? *lol
Hon, most tills can be programmed to tell the price in whatever currency you want.

Why?

Now, if by "fine" you mean "still alive", then yeah. But it should be quite obvious to everyone involved that Britain (which does most of its trade with eurozone countries) would have much to gain if both British and foreign companies no longer had to speculate in currency markets to get their business over with.

I thought that the British Pound was stronger than the Euro? Or is that just an excuse given for why we don't have the euro?

Anyway, theres too much opposition in Britain to the euro for it to become our national currency. I've never met anyone who wants the Euro instead of the pound.

That statement reminds me of the time I spent on a Kingdom Hearts fanforum. Everytime I used that statement people would say "but you're replying anyway..." then giggle to themselves like the self-absorbed assholes they were. :rolleyes:

I play Kingdom Hearts (yes, I know, it has Disney characters in it so it must be incredibly childish and rubbbish...), but I've never actually gone to the trouble of wasting time discussing it online when I could just be playing it... I can see why. If those are the type of people who frequent those forums then count me out. But just out of curiosity have you played the sequel? I only just got it this weekend and I;d really like to know what other people think.

Would it matter? It seems that the rest of Europe somehow managed. Exactly my thought. The hundreds of small corner shops in this country seemed to adapt well to the change. It was a bit rocky for a couple of months; but everyone seems to have forgotten about the old currency now. In fact, the old coins look really primitive when I come across them. And the shops weren't ripped off by fake coins; in fact they were so strict that the first day of the new currency several people were wrongly accused of using 'fake' coins, simply because they used euro coins from a different country. Actually, I guess that in some way the country is still strict. Some vending machines are so weight precise that they will only except Irish euro coins, which is really annoying because they are becoming less and less common in this country...

Exactly my thought. The hundreds of small corner shops in this country seemed to adapt well to the change. It was a bit rocky for a couple of months; but everyone seems to have forgotten about the old currency now. In fact, the old coins look really primitive when I come across them. And the shops weren't ripped off by fake coins; in fact they were so strict that the first day of the new currency several people were wrongly accused of using 'fake' coins, simply because they used euro coins from a different country. Actually, I guess that in some way the country is still strict. Some vending machines are so weight precise that they will only except Irish euro coins, which is really annoying because they are becoming less and less common in this country...

They are big collectors' items in Germany...

They are big collectors' items in Germany...

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=714339

Just thought it was kind of relevant

New tills? *lol
Hon, most tills can be programmed to tell the price in whatever currency you want.

And even if they can't you can just do what our local petrol-station did when we went metric: Put a sticker over the old measurement! It sold petrol by the glitre until the day it closed ;)

It's not like the till cares whether it's a Pound or a Euro or a Yen, it just adds and takes away.

Not that I see any reason to join the Euro; I'm more likely to spend US$ and CA$ online, and you get loads of those for a quid. And might get away without VAT.

I'd like to say I'm for the euro much more stable than the pound (and benefit’s the U.K’s finance/service dominated economy)

Plus it saves me a trip to the bank when I go on holiday which is all good

I heard from the German Police (indirectly) that it wasn't Crystal Meth...

And for everyone laugh at the 90% figures for contamination - that's about the same as English ten pound notes ;)

They are big collectors' items in Germany...

Yeah, I've got some old DM from the mid 1990's, and even some old DDR Marks from the 1950's.

Euro's breaking apart?

*waves Canadian $20 bill in air*

*attempts to do a Nelson laugh*

HA-HA!!!!11 :eek:

hopefully it will be dropped before Poland has to join it.

Yeah, I've got some old DM from the mid 1990's, and even some old DDR Marks from the 1950's.

Me too. I've also got some Francs - French and Belgium, some Shillings, some Lira - Italian and Turkish, the Turkish would still be valid currency I think, some Kronen - Dutch and Cechoslovakian, before they spilt up, Yugoslavian Dinars... oh, and lots of other coins. I'll have to sort them some day.

The same sort of tests were done over in the US years ago, with much the same results: most paper money was contaminated with cocaine. I remember them testing the Mayor of New York's pocket money on TV. Much hilarity ensued.

Quite literally:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6142912.stm

I think many people were expecting the Euro project to disintergrate over time, but I doubt many thought it would happen in this way. But, this money does suit the Euro very well; weak, full of holes and not worth the paper it's written on.
This is quite normal. The statistic for the US banknotes is 97%.

It's only a matter of time before the UK joins. Irish people are choosing to go to Europe (and vice versa) instead of the UK because of the bother and bad value of changing currencies.

The Euro is a blessing; trade is easier in Europe, and we are one the way to becomeing the world's most powerful trading bloc.

hopefully it will be dropped before Poland has to join it.
I wouldn't wish that. Maybe it would help stop your best workers from working for us, and work for their own country instead.

I thought that the British Pound was stronger than the Euro? Or is that just an excuse given for why we don't have the euro?

Anyway, theres too much opposition in Britain to the euro for it to become our national currency. I've never met anyone who wants the Euro instead of the pound.

Nice to meet you:)

There we go.

Quite literally:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6142912.stm

I think many people were expecting the Euro project to disintergrate over time, but I doubt many thought it would happen in this way. But, this money does suit the Euro very well; weak, full of holes and not worth the paper it's written on.
Okay, so I didn't read the whole thread >.<.

Just piping up to say: not true. They took that back. Was on the news today.

Though it's still not clear what does make the money disintegrate.

*checks purse*

Nope, they're still holding together nicely. :p

Maybe he left his in his pants pocket when the threw them in the wash?