NationStates Jolt Archive

The Department of the Treasury has been instructed to redesign the bills used to represent the dollar, in order to accommodate the blind.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7412051.stm

I, for one, think this is the fair thing to do, but that the way to do it needs to be one that doesn't alter the bills, make vending machines obsolete, or strange up the drawers in cash registers. As such, I don't think making the bills a different size is the appropriate tack.

I feel that the best option would be to emboss the seal of the treasury, and the denomination right where it is currently printed, in a method similar to a notary's seal.

Any thoughts?

You could probably emboss some Braille numbers on there...

Ya, why not? We have all kinds of snazzy things already, Braille numbers wouldn't kill the DoT.

Why don't they just replace the dollar bill with a coin? It's harder to counterfeit and lasts longer and as long as it wasn't the exact same size as a quarter it would be fine, or like if the rim was smooth whereas the quarter is scored.

Why don't they just replace the dollar bill with a coin? It's harder to counterfeit and lasts longer and as long as it wasn't the exact same size as a quarter it would be fine, or like if the rim was smooth whereas the quarter is scored.

It does seem a little odd that you still have a note for an amount so small. We've had pound coins in this country for as long as I've known - I wouldn't want to get a fist full of notes for change.

When you open your wallet, your money should sing "one dollar! one dollar!", "five dollars! five dollars!" etc and all together they should perform a tiny monetary opera.

Also: "You thieving bastard" to be used by banks rather than exploding packs of dye.

It does seem a little odd that you still have a note for an amount so small. We've had pound coins in this country for as long as I've known - I wouldn't want to get a fist full of notes for change.

It's been tried. The mint has used advertising campaigns and incentives of all sorts to try to implement the dollar coin (and has issued internal reports expressing a general desire to do away with the dollar bill), but they've never been able to convince the people to buy into it.

I mean, the third dollar coin of the past decade has been put out, and still no success.

It's been tried. The mint has used advertising campaigns and incentives of all sorts to try to implement the dollar coin (and has issued internal reports expressing a general desire to do away with the dollar bill), but they've never been able to convince the people to buy into it.

I mean, the third dollar coin of the past decade has been put out, and still no success.
I used dollar coins (loonies) in Canada for eight months. They also have two dollar coins (twonies). They are terrific.

It's been tried. The mint has used advertising campaigns and incentives of all sorts to try to implement the dollar coin (and has issued internal reports expressing a general desire to do away with the dollar bill), but they've never been able to convince the people to buy into it.

I mean, the third dollar coin of the past decade has been put out, and still no success.

Except for the last one, they have all been easily confusable with quarters.

I like the last one, it's gold-ish and shiny!

I think if they just forced the change it would work, you know, quit making dollar bills.

As far as the other notes, lets make the $10, $20, $50, $100 different sizes, they don't go in vending machines anyway, only ones and fives do. Leave the five alone.

I used dollar coins (loonies) in Canada for eight months. They also have two dollar coins (twonies). They are terrific.

I have some $2 bills, I thought they were useless. I can't figure out why one would need them.

It's been tried. The mint has used advertising campaigns and incentives of all sorts to try to implement the dollar coin (and has issued internal reports expressing a general desire to do away with the dollar bill), but they've never been able to convince the people to buy into it.

I mean, the third dollar coin of the past decade has been put out, and still no success.

I think whenever sentiment is going to be involved, it's better for a government to just do a thing and get it over with, rather than try and introduce it gradually and see if it takes. People are naturally cautious about the unfamiliar, so are unlikely to choose something new when given the option.

I used dollar coins (loonies) in Canada for eight months. They also have two dollar coins (twonies). They are terrific.

I've no doubt, and I'm not passing judgment on the coins themselves. It's just, the US is unlikely to ditch the bill in favor the coin, because of popular opinion.

It doesn't help that the man who's face is on the dollar bill is also the single individual who deserves to have his face on the money more than anyone else, save, perhaps, Lincoln.

I've no doubt, and I'm not passing judgment on the coins themselves. It's just, the US is unlikely to ditch the bill in favor the coin, because of popular opinion.

It doesn't help that the man who's face is on the dollar bill is also the single individual who deserves to have his face on the money more than anyone else, save, perhaps, Lincoln.

Washington is also on the quarter.

"A large majority of other currency systems have accommodated the visually impaired, and the secretary does not explain why US currency should be any different," Judge Judith Rogers wrote in the court's opinion.

That says it all, really. Just do what more prescient countries have done: have the bills be of different size and texture, and also have the numerals be slightly raised so that they can be felt. This isn't a tough or expensive nut to crack.

The lack of difference between the notes is, apart from the ugliness, a major hassle with using USA dollars - the similarity forces you to look at the notes to see what denomination they are, and then you're subjected to the ugliness all over. It's a double whammy.

Why don't they just replace the dollar bill with a coin? It's harder to counterfeit and lasts longer and as long as it wasn't the exact same size as a quarter it would be fine, or like if the rim was smooth whereas the quarter is scored.

Because whenever they try to introduce a dollar coin, they half ass it. They need to just take as many 1 dollar bills out of circulation as possible and churn out dollar coins as fast as they're taking ones out. That's the only way.

I think whenever sentiment is going to be involved, it's better for a government to just do a thing and get it over with, rather than try and introduce it gradually and see if it takes. People are naturally cautious about the unfamiliar, so are unlikely to choose something new when given the option.

Precisely. They need to simply take all the dollar bills out of circulation and replace them with dollar coins. As fast as they can. That's the only way it will work.

Precisely. They need to simply take all the dollar bills out of circulation and replace them with dollar coins. As fast as they can. That's the only way it will work.

It's what they should have done with SI and the metric system.

It's what they should have done with SI and the metric system.

But metres are un-american!

I used dollar coins (loonies) in Canada for eight months. They also have two dollar coins (twonies). They are terrific.

That's cause we're awesome. :D

But metres are un-american!

And two frickin' long. Being six feet tall rocks the socks off of being under two meters tall.

Precisely. They need to simply take all the dollar bills out of circulation and replace them with dollar coins. As fast as they can. That's the only way it will work.

That's not a bad idea.

Which has nothing at all to do with my plan to stock pile $1 bills now, and sell them in the future for a huge mark up to collectors.

:D

But metres are un-american!

And thus so much the better.

And two frickin' long. Being six feet tall rocks the socks off of being under two meters tall.

Being 183 centimetres tall > being six feet tall.

Being 183 centimetres tall > being six feet tall.

I dunno...centimeters were what we used for measuring in elementary school when inches proved to be too large of a unit.

And thus so much the better.
It's not simply better because it's not American. That is just silly.



Being 183 centimetres tall > being six feet tall.

Shouldn't there be some measurement in between a meter and a centimeter? Like a decimeter (I don't know if that prefix is correct) or something?

It's what they should have done with SI and the metric system.

Yeah... the half-assed gutless way they tried to implement the metric system just made it worse than before.

Because now we have some stuff that's in metric, and other stuff that's in our traditional system.

One thing though, that I will not stand for replacing with metric measurements, even though it makes sense for everything else, is the pint.

God damnit.

Now they're fucking up the dollar bill?

What a load of crap.

God damnit.

Now they're fucking up the dollar bill?

What a load of crap.

Yeah, cause the dollar bill has always been the same, right? :rolleyes:

Yeah, cause the dollar bill has always been the same, right? :rolleyes:

IS NOTHING SACRED ANYMORE?

It's what they should have done with SI and the metric system.

How about no.

I dunno...centimeters were what we used for measuring in elementary school when inches proved to be too large of a unit.

That's what so wonderful about the metre and SI - it's never "too large" or "too small", you just switch prefixes for your usage. Hence if you think 1.83 metres or 183 centimetres not convenient, you can have 18.3 decimetres. Sure, people might look at you oddly for expressing your length in decimetres because it's usually done in centimetres or metres, but they'd have no trouble understanding how tall you are.

Why don't they just replace the dollar bill with a coin? It's harder to counterfeit and lasts longer and as long as it wasn't the exact same size as a quarter it would be fine, or like if the rim was smooth whereas the quarter is scored.
To the best of my knowledge, you can still get a dollar coin at the Post Office. The Mint is making President dollar coins right now.

We just need to start printing '2' on the dollar bill. I imagine the coins will catch on a lot faster.

How about no.

Don't worry, metric isn't anything to be afraid of.

I don't like either solution. The bills are annoying as they are, but I spent the past nine months in Germany. The problem with coins like a one or two dollar coin is that they're too valuable. As it is, I take all my coins and just toss them into a container for later redemption. If I had dollar coins, I'd actually have to carry them around with me, and I have no interest at all in that because they're too heavy and uncomfortable. Give me a fistful of paper notes over a fistful of metal coins any day.

But that's just my opinion.

As far as the other notes, lets make the $10, $20, $50, $100 different sizes, they don't go in vending machines anyway, only ones and fives do. Leave the five alone.
No, then the notes start looking like play money! And it doesn't fit in a wallet or a money clip as nicely.

One thing though, that I will not stand for replacing with metric measurements, even though it makes sense for everything else, is the pint.

Which one, the UK pint, the USA dry pint or the USA liquid pint? :p

There is a "metric pint", you know. It's half a litre, or 500 millilitres. 5 decilitres, even. You can even find 570 ml glasses, if you want to be closer to the UK pint.

That's what so wonderful about the metre and SI - it's never "too large" or "too small", you just switch prefixes for your usage. Hence if you think 1.83 metres or 183 centimetres not convenient, you can have 18.3 decimetres. Sure, people might look at you oddly for expressing your length in decimetres because it's usually done in centimetres or metres, but they'd have no trouble understanding how tall you are.

I think I'd prefer using the decimeter. I like the foot because an inch an a yard are both a little awkward for measuring something person-sized, at least to me, and the foot is in between.

The centimeter and the meter have the same issue. But the decimeter is in between them, so it's about right. I dunno why a meter feels like too large a measurement and a centimeter too small, but they just seem strange and awkward to me while the decimeter seems more natural. I know it's just the difference of where the decimal point is located, but for some reason something in between the meter and the centimeter seems better. Maybe because it's more analogous to the foot, which I'm used to. Who knows.

Which one, the UK pint, the USA dry pint or the USA liquid pint? :p

There is a "metric pint", you know. It's half a litre, or 500 millilitres. 5 decilitres, even. You can even find 570 ml glasses, if you want to be closer to the UK pint.

I mean the one that is used for beer. That's generally the "Imperial Pint," which would mean the UK one.

I know, the same amount can be measured in metric as well, but "I'd like 570 mililiters of your best ale" sounds silly to me.

I know, the same amount can be measured in metric as well, but "I'd like 570 mililiters of your best ale" sounds silly to me.

You wouldn't say that. You'd standardise the beer glasses to be 570 ml and then you'd say "I'd like a glass of your best ale". Or you'd say pint, but you'd know you'd be getting 570 ml. That's what you do today, seeing as all imperial units are defined in SI anyway. Cut out the archaic middleman, I say.

Cut out the archaic middleman, I say.

Why?

Our system works for us. Why should we change it?

You wouldn't say that. You'd standardise the beer glasses to be 570 ml and then you'd say "I'd like a glass of your best ale". Or you'd say pint, but you'd know you'd be getting 570 ml. That's what you do today, seeing as all imperial units are defined in SI anyway. Cut out the archaic middleman, I say.
That's basically what happens in Ireland. Though I think they went for making pint glasses 500ml, since cans of beer are 500ml.
Why?

Our system works for us. Why should we change it?

To save money in the long term. Because metric is better. To join the rest of the world in the 21st century.

Why?

Our system works for us. Why should we change it?

It doesn't work for you. You'd know that if you knew the least bit about science.

You wouldn't say that. You'd standardise the beer glasses to be 570 ml and then you'd say "I'd like a glass of your best ale". Or you'd say pint, but you'd know you'd be getting 570 ml. That's what you do today, seeing as all imperial units are defined in SI anyway. Cut out the archaic middleman, I say.

As long as I can still say "I would like a pint of Anchor Steam" and have it understood how much that order constitutes, I'm fine. I am for moving over to metric, there's probably a lot of time wasted doing unit conversions at the moment that would be avoided with metric.

Why?

Our system works for us. Why should we change it?

For the rest of us? Because it makes things easier. For fass? Because he is a hatefull nationalist.

Why?

Our system works for us. Why should we change it?

To save time and money in the long run.

For the rest of us? Because it makes things easier. For fass? Because he is a hatefull nationalist.

I don't know about that. It often seems like he loves his own country less than he hates the USA.

I have the solution!


Don't change the money. Simple enough.

Why don't they just replace the dollar bill with a coin? It's harder to counterfeit and lasts longer and as long as it wasn't the exact same size as a quarter it would be fine, or like if the rim was smooth whereas the quarter is scored.

because some idiot made the dollar coin too similar to the quarter. so much so that people have used the dollar coin as a quarter.

in order to redo the dollar coin to the pont where it is vastly different than the quarter, you will also need a mass redoing of vending machines (yes some are designed to take the dollar coin) in order to encourage it's use.

I always wondered why they made the dollar coin so similar to the quarter yet made the half dollar so fricken huge.

To save money in the long term. Because metric is better. To join the rest of the world in the 21st century.

I doubt it'd save money. It'd cost millions, if not billions to change all the damn road signs and things like that.

Metric is not better. It has no style.

We would rather keep the system we know, thanks.

It doesn't work for you. You'd know that if you knew the least bit about science.

Not everyone works in science, hotshot. Our system is just fine for speed, distance, cooking, temperature, etc.

For the rest of us? Because it makes things easier. For fass? Because he is a hatefull nationalist.

America change because the rest of the world thinks we should? All the more reason to not change, just to spite you. :p

For the rest of us? Because it makes things easier. For fass? Because he is a hatefull nationalist.

While indeed the Celsius scale of temperature is a Swedish invention, you'd see that SI base uses Kelvin for that, and that not a lot of the other derived units are Swedish in origin - I can think of Sievert, Ångström being non-SI even if it designates 0.1 nanometre. But, are you accusing a Swede of being "nationalist" about an originally French, but nowadays internationally defined system? 'Cause it seems that you are, and it shouldn't be beyond you to see why that's risible of you.

While indeed the Celsius scale of temperature is a Swedish invention, you'd see that SI base uses Kelvin for that, and that not a lot of the other derived units are Swedish in origin - I can think of Sievert, Ångström being non-SI even if it designates 0.1 nanometre. But, are you accusing a Swede of being "nationalist" about an originally French, but nowadays internationally defined system? 'Cause it seems that you are, and it shouldn't be beyond you to see why that's risible of you.

He's just making a humorous reference to your often expressed dislike of the USA, I think.

Not everyone works in science, hotshot. Our system is just fine for speed, distance, cooking, temperature, etc.

Nope, seeing as for your system to be "fine" for all those things, you had to define it in our system. Your system is so flawed and non-functional that its units cannot even be defined by it, and you have to use "our" (i.e. the world's) system of measurements for it. But, true, a lot of USA people are ignorant of that fact, seeing as so many of them do indeed have a problem with science overall, and not just by not working in it.

He's just making a humorous reference to your often expressed dislike of the USA, I think.

That doesn't make it less strange, because my dislike of the USA in no way implies or requires Swedish nationalism.

He's just making a humorous reference to your often expressed dislike of the USA, I think.

What if Fass and Nanatsu no Tsuki had a kid? Would be the ultimate America basher for sure..... :p

I think when you unfold money it should play a tune, just like those talking greeting cards. We would have the coolest money ever and you can pick songs for certain denominations for the blind.

You wouldn't say that. You'd standardise the beer glasses to be 570 ml and then you'd say "I'd like a glass of your best ale". Or you'd say pint, but you'd know you'd be getting 570 ml. That's what you do today, seeing as all imperial units are defined in SI anyway. Cut out the archaic middleman, I say.

I agree and industry is using metric in many of our products within the US today. What they can't decide politically to do will be ultimately changed by our one world economy. Metric will happen in the US at some point.

That doesn't make it less strange, because my dislike of the USA in no way implies or requires Swedish nationalism.

Hence why I posted that I thought "nationalism" wasn't really the right term to use for your distaste for Americans and just about everything about our country, lol. For it to be nationalism, it would have to be usually coupled with a statement about how great Sweden is and the dislike would be directed at more nations than just the USA.

While indeed the Celsius scale of temperature is a Swedish invention, you'd see that SI base uses Kelvin for that, and that not a lot of the other derived units are Swedish in origin - I can think of Sievert, Ångström being non-SI even if it designates 0.1 nanometre. But, are you accusing a Swede of being "nationalist" about an originally French, but nowadays internationally defined system? 'Cause it seems that you are, and it shouldn't be beyond you to see why that's risible of you.

Ehh, less nationalist and more 'teh Americans are ebil'. But still, it amounts to almost the same thing.

What if Fass and Nanatsu no Tsuki had a kid? Would be the ultimate America basher for sure..... :p

I dunno, Fass is usually more strident about his dislike of the USA than Nanatsu. She's usually pretty polite, or at least, she's been polite to me. I can't speak for others.

It wouldn't really happen anyway, or at least not in the low-tech way.

Nope, seeing as for your system to be "fine" for all those things, you had to define it in our system. Your system is so flawed and non-functional that its units cannot even be defined by it, and you have to use "our" (i.e. the world's) system of measurements for it. But, true, a lot of USA people are ignorant of that fact, seeing as so many of them do indeed have a problem with science overall, and not just by not working in it.

I can see changing everying but the temperature (I have no clue how to tell what celsius means) and distance (miles work fine for us). But other than that, I do agree, we should be the same as the rest of the world.

Hence why I posted that I thought "nationalism" wasn't really the right term to use for your distaste for Americans and just about everything about our country, lol. For it to be nationalism, it would have to be usually coupled with a statement about how great Sweden is and the dislike would be directed at more nations than just the USA.

I guess you haven't seen me bashing Denmark or Iran or India or China or... and so on. There are plenty of places I bash, I've even bashed Sweden in threads. It's just that USA people tend not to be interested by much else than USA bashing, it seems, so that's what sticks in their minds.

It's sort of like the time I was accused of only bashing Christianity, and no other religion. When I produced links to where I was bashing Islam, Buddhism, Wicca and so on, all of a sudden there were no more replies from the accuser. People are selective with what "victim coat" (direct translation of the Swedish "offerkofta") they want to wear...

I talked to a UKian a while ago. He had no clue how heavy I was when I said I weighed x pounds and visa versa for his system. That would be hard to change I think. The only thing I could really understand if we changed would be the kilometer and the meter.

I guess you haven't seen me bashing Denmark or Iran or India or China or... and so on. There are plenty of places I bash, I've even bashed Sweden in threads. It's just that USA people tend not to be interested by much else than USA bashing, it seems, so that's what sticks in their minds.

It's sort of like the time I was accused of only bashing Christianity, and no other religion. When I produced links to where I was bashing Islam, Buddhism, Wicca and so on, all of a sudden there were no more replies from the accuser. People are selective with what "victim coat" (direct translation of the Swedish "offerkofta") they want to wear...

Yes, but your bashing isn't a result of nationalism. It's not an "everywhere is inferior to Sweden" type of thing.

Maybe there are just more threads about the USA. *shrugs*

Nope, seeing as for your system to be "fine" for all those things, you had to define it in our system. Your system is so flawed and non-functional that its units cannot even be defined by it, and you have to use "our" (i.e. the world's) system of measurements for it. But, true, a lot of USA people are ignorant of that fact, seeing as so many of them do indeed have a problem with science overall, and not just by not working in it.

They seem to work fine to me. People seem to be cooking just fine, driving fine, knowing what to wear when the weatherman says its going to be such and such degrees Fahrenheit.

Seems to be working fine for everyday use.

Maybe it isn't perfect, but it works well enough.

I agree and industry is using metric in many of our products within the US today. What they can't decide politically to do will be ultimately changed by our one world economy. Metric will happen in the US at some point.

I dread the day...

I talked to a UKian a while ago. He had no clue how heavy I was when I said I weighed x pounds and visa versa for his system. That would be hard to change I think. The only thing I could really understand if we changed would be the kilometer and the meter.

It doesn't take nearly as long to get used to a different measurement as people think it will.

If you go to Europe and stay for a while, eventually you start thinking of how much things cost in terms of Euros and how big things are in terms of meters rather than dollars and feet. It's all a matter of how much you use something.

They seem to work fine to me. People seem to be cooking just fine, driving fine, knowing what to wear when the weatherman says its going to be such and such degrees Fahrenheit.

Seems to be working fine for everyday use.

Maybe it isn't perfect, but it works well enough.



I dread the day...

Lots of time and money is wasted on unit conversions in any kind of trade between the US and pretty much anywhere. You just don't like change, even when it will save time and money in the long run.

Lots of time and money is wasted on unit conversions in any kind of trade between the US and pretty much anywhere. You just don't like change, even when it will save time and money in the long run.

How much? Is it a very significant amount of time and money?

It won't save me time and money. It'll just cause a hassle.

The cheapest solution is, of course, to deport all blind people.

The cheapest solution is, of course, to deport all blind people.

We could deport them to Mexico! At least there they could work as Mexican border guards.

i would replace the paper with interestingly shaped plexi coins.

plexi, which is a polymer, because while in the past polymers have been associated with cheepness, in the future, as oil becomes a rare and precious comodity, they will aquire intrinsic value, just as metalic coins possess. but plexi because it has a weight advantage of precious metals, not quite there but approching, that of paper.

of course these odd shaped plexi coins would have to have smothe and rounded edges, maybe even 'trick' edges like those on quarters and dimes, but need not be the familiar circular disks of metalic coinage.

everone who knows manual drafting is familiar with an object called a french curve. freequently these days made out of plexi.

will i'm talking about the kind of plexi professional quality drafting aids are made out of, with possibly various colored tintings, such as one sometimes finds in decorative edge lighted displays.

and then each 'coin' having its own, mini 'french curve' shape.
such that you could maybe even actually use them for one.

but of course each small enough physically too, to fit comfortably in the same pockets and purses that paper currency does now.

in several dreams i have had, where i was living in them, the ones that had and used currency at all, this plexi coinage was the kind of currency they had.

and there were vending machines designed to accept it and count its value and actually make the appropriate chainge.

=^^=
.../\...

The Department of the Treasury has been instructed to redesign the bills used to represent the dollar, in order to accommodate the blind.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7412051.stm

I, for one, think this is the fair thing to do, but that the way to do it needs to be one that doesn't alter the bills, make vending machines obsolete, or strange up the drawers in cash registers. As such, I don't think making the bills a different size is the appropriate tack.

I feel that the best option would be to emboss the seal of the treasury, and the denomination right where it is currently printed, in a method similar to a notary's seal.

Any thoughts?Actually, I think changing its size is a great idea. But don't stop there, instead of a rectangle, perhaps a circle would be a better shape. And make it a bit thicker, so it's easier to grab. Also, perhaps make it out of material less flimsy than paper, say metal.

When you open your wallet, your money should sing "one dollar! one dollar!", "five dollars! five dollars!" etc and all together they should perform a tiny monetary opera.

Also: "You thieving bastard" to be used by banks rather than exploding packs of dye.

As hilarious as this sounds, that would get annoying really freaking fast.

On the other hand, the idea of listening to a full out and out opera everytime I open my wallet IS appealing...

Hmm, this is an interesting idea to change the bills to accompany blind people using them. Looking back on past government activity they will probably use Braille, but the statistics on Braille are funny. Only 10% of blind people know how to read Braille, that is the common form of Braille. Unfortunately, the Braille you see on signs that is used to comply with the Disability Act is a short hand version of Braille, and only 1% of the 10% blind people who know how to read Braille, know how to read the short hand version.

It is a good idea to try to help blind people function, but why not look at the statistics on how you have tried to help them and actually find something that would really help them.

Also, with the use of paper currency going down I think they are a couple decades behind in getting the DoT to comply with the Act.












Dollar coins are stupid!!!!!!!!!!!


$2 Bills are dumber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MORE COLOUR!

Why is every bill the same green shade? It's boring and confusing. If you look at the other major currencies in the world: the euro, the pound, the yuan etc. all have nice rainbow colours.:D

how about removing the "In God We Trust"... just to be fair with materialistic atheist who love money, trust in capitalism and in their nation but dont give shit about god?:D

More color? Two points with that - first the dollars printed in the past few years have all had color (I hate the damned purple 5, just ugly as hell), and secondly, how exactly would a more colorful dollar bill help someone who is blind?

I liked the idea of recycled plastic currency - the dollar bills are far more resilient, so they do not have to be replaced as often, they can be any color or shape for easy customization. Have each denomination a different color and, instead of a watermark, have a different shaped clear patch on it. Changes in texture could make it easy for the blind to quickly tell exactly what denomination it was.

This actually reminds me of a story I read in Sailing World many years ago. A couple took their small daughter and sailed to Europe for a while. One day they came back from touring whatever city they were in to find that their boat had been broken into. When they got into the boat, they found the substantial sum of dollars they had left out on the table was untouched, while the rest of the boat was ransacked. Some jewelry was taken, along with their daughters play money that was in a small bag tucked away someplace. Obviously they had discounted the American dollars as play money, and searched for the 'hidden stash' of rather colorful money.


The dollar coin is a flop because, not only has it generally been very similar to the quarter, people carry around a lot of dollars. It is still a very useful denomination to have, and carrying around a dozen dollar bills is far more pleasant than carrying around a dozen dollar coins.

I have the solution!


Don't change the money. Simple enough.
Yeah, fuck the blind people.
I doubt it'd save money. It'd cost millions, if not billions to change all the damn road signs and things like that.
A one time cost for the permanent elimination for the need to convert imperial to metric.

Metric is not better. It has no style.
Yes it does. Since style is totally subjective I don't really see what difference this makes.

We would rather keep the system we know, thanks.
Who's we, got a mouse in your pocket?



Not everyone works in science, hotshot. Our system is just fine for speed, distance, cooking, temperature, etc.
And in countries where people use metric they can barely understand such things. It's not like the French are famous for their cuisine or anything. Poor chaps can barely make toast.



America change because the rest of the world thinks we should? All the more reason to not change, just to spite you. :p
I'm sure you'll look fine without your nose. Just make sure you take some painkillers before you cut it off.
They seem to work fine to me. People seem to be cooking just fine, driving fine, knowing what to wear when the weatherman says its going to be such and such degrees Fahrenheit.
And we all know that Americans are far too unintelligent to learn a new system. You do make a good point there.

I thought the new twenties and tens were ugly god the new five is absolutely horrible. I always spend those over other fives and don't really like having them around. I swap them for singles or something. God they're so ugly.

Why don't they just replace the dollar bill with a coin? It's harder to counterfeit and lasts longer and as long as it wasn't the exact same size as a quarter it would be fine, or like if the rim was smooth whereas the quarter is scored.Canada did that. With both the $1 and $2 denominations.

Do you have any idea how fucking annoying it is? We have coins coming out our assholes and apparently they want to make the $5 a coin to. Fuck me gently.

Canada did that. With both the $1 and $2 denominations.

Do you have any idea how fucking annoying it is? We have coins coming out our assholes and apparently they want to make the $5 a coin to. Fuck me gently.

I'm all for it, though five dollar bills will probably remain legal alongside it, at least for a little while. It'll have to do until we get down to a universal credit system, anyway.

I'm all for it, though five dollar bills will probably remain legal alongside it, at least for a little while. It'll have to do until we get down to a universal credit system, anyway.Why though?

Five loonies bulk up your wallet really fast, five bills do not. I have not made my wallet uncomfortable to sit on with bills, but it takes only a a dozen coins to do so. It my opinion, coins are inconvenient enough that it deters me from using physical money. I instead use debit almost solely for the fact that I do not end up with a fat stack of change at the end of the day.

We have coins coming out our assholes...
*puts a pot underneath Posi's asshole to catch some coins* :p

The Department of the Treasury has been instructed to redesign the bills used to represent the dollar, in order to accommodate the blind.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7412051.stm

I, for one, think this is the fair thing to do, but that the way to do it needs to be one that doesn't alter the bills, make vending machines obsolete, or strange up the drawers in cash registers. As such, I don't think making the bills a different size is the appropriate tack.

I feel that the best option would be to emboss the seal of the treasury, and the denomination right where it is currently printed, in a method similar to a notary's seal.

Any thoughts?

Different sizes & colours work, we have them here.

http://www.anzmac2006.qut.com/graphics/dollar.jpg

It won't necessarily make the vending machines obsolete, but they will need to be adapted to take the new notes.

I would make the money so if it falls into the hands of criminals it self destructs.
If they get burned, too bad for them.

if i were the department of treasury I would do what they are currently doing. which is ignore the court.

how about removing the "In God We Trust"... just to be fair with materialistic atheist who love money, trust in capitalism and in their nation but dont give shit about god?:D

This. That statement on the currency has always struck me as unconstitutional (in my limited knowledge of it).

Changing sizes and making all vending machines obsolete is a bit drastic, but making different textures and Braille numbering seems prudent.

That's basically what happens in Ireland. Though I think they went for making pint glasses 500ml, since cans of beer are 500ml.


To save money in the long term. Because metric is better. To join the rest of the world in the 21st century.

How?

This. That statement on the currency has always struck me as unconstitutional (in my limited knowledge of it).

Changing sizes and making all vending machines obsolete is a bit drastic, but making different textures and Braille numbering seems prudent.

I've very rarely seen vending machines that take fives, most only take ones and coins. How would changing the size of bills above $5 make vending machines obsolete?

I've very rarely seen vending machines that take fives, most only take ones and coins. How would changing the size of bills above $5 make vending machines obsolete?

Perhaps 'vending machine' is too vague, or specific in the wrong way, I meant more 'any machine that takes or gives money'. Surely, ATMs will be affected by changes in note size/shape? I'm not sure how they count out money currently, but if the specifications of the notes change then the whole system might need to be altered.

Perhaps 'vending machine' is too vague, or specific in the wrong way, I meant more 'any machine that takes or gives money'. Surely, ATMs will be affected by changes in note size/shape? I'm not sure how they count out money currently, but if the specifications of the notes change then the whole system might need to be altered.

Hmmm, I've only been thinking about this in terms of bill recognition by machines. I'm not sure if it would effect ATM's or not . . . (unless of course we made some of the bills substantially LARGER)

Hmmm, I've only been thinking about this in terms of bill recognition by machines. I'm not sure if it would effect ATM's or not . . . (unless of course we made some of the bills substantially LARGER)

I've yet to meet an ATM in the USA that gives out any bills other than $20s. I have met a couple newer that accept (edit: and scan in) cash deposits, though, which would be hurt by such a change.

Personally, I don't care if vending machines get messed up. We talk about needing jobs--hiring the people to help implement such a change would be a nice little boost, if short-lived.

How?

Like Fass mentioned earlier, you never get stuck with unwieldy numbers, since you can just use a different prefix. And everything is in base ten. Nice and handy for doing conversions in your head. Not to mention the simple fact that most of the rest of the world uses it.

I wouldn't mind moving everything $10 or less to coins. You'd have to change the vending machines, granted...

Raised numbers, I think, is a good one. It would also eliminate the age-old problem of bleached and reprinted-on bills being used to pass for higher denominations (so would making the higher denomination bills slightly larger.)

You could probably emboss some Braille numbers on there...

How can you live so grindingly, tediously and unremittingly in the real world?

Left to me, I'd redesign the dollar with "Don't Panic" enscribed on it.

How can you live so grindingly, tediously and unremittingly in the real world?

Left to me, I'd redesign the dollar with "Don't Panic" enscribed on it.

Seconded.

I've yet to meet an ATM in the USA that gives out any bills other than $20s. I have met a couple newer that accept (edit: and scan in) cash deposits, though, which would be hurt by such a change.


I've encountered exactly one that gives tens.

Except for the last one, they have all been easily confusable with quarters.

I like the last one, it's gold-ish and shiny!

I think if they just forced the change it would work, you know, quit making dollar bills.

As far as the other notes, lets make the $10, $20, $50, $100 different sizes, they don't go in vending machines anyway, only ones and fives do. Leave the five alone.

The machines in the post office take $1, $5, $10, and $20.

I have some $2 bills, I thought they were useless. I can't figure out why one would need them.

To pay for something that costs $1.99 tax included silly. :p

It's sort of like the time I was accused of only bashing Christianity, and no other religion. When I produced links to where I was bashing Islam, Buddhism, Wicca and so on, all of a sudden there were no more replies from the accuser. People are selective with what "victim coat" (direct translation of the Swedish "offerkofta") they want to wear...

Using a non-English language? Nationalism if I ever saw it!

I'd like to see the U.S. go back to using two dollar bills and just get rid of the one dollar. There are few things under a dollar, but you could buy something cheap like gum by just giving a two dollar bill and then getting change.
As for accomodating the blind, I agree with the poster's idea of embossing a giant "2" (or "5" or whatever it is) on the middle of the coin. It could be big enough the blind could feel it, but its transparency wouldn't make it difficult to see.

I always wondered why they made the dollar coin so similar to the quarter yet made the half dollar so fricken huge.

The old dollar coins, the "Silver Dollar" were bigger than the half dollar. If you had a pocket full of Silver Dollars and half dollars, you needed suspenders to keep your pants up to your knees. :eek:

how about removing the "In God We Trust"... just to be fair with materialistic atheist who love money, trust in capitalism and in their nation but dont give shit about god?:D

It should be removed. Whatever happened to "Seperation of Church and State"?

It should be removed. Whatever happened to "Seperation of Church and State"?

That would make the money valueless. You've heard of the gold standard or the silver standard, right? Well, when the U.S. went off the gold standard in 1969, we managed to get God to be the base for our currency. Go to any bank, and you can redeem the specie for years off in Purgatory.

My sociology teacher knew a guy who was blind and could tell the difference between bills by feeling them. Once they were in a store and the guy bought something and was supposed to get $5, but the sneaky cashier pocketed $4 and gave him a $1, thinking he wouldn't notice. He told her "This isn't a $5" but she insisted it was. Eventually somehow it was resolved. I don't remember the ending exactly.

Anyway, blind people complain too much. First it was electric cars and now this.

We should just ditch the dollar and use the dollar coin. For the other denominations, meh.

There HAS been the old controversy about the rights of the blind, and what an EASY fix this SHOULD be.
Different sizes for different denominations of currency, it's not rocket science, people.