Steve

"Marie Lewis" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > In article , gatsby
    > writes
    > >Should the U.S. make money with a certain "feel" to it so that blind
    > >people can tell what denomination it is (not a bad idea actually).
    > Many countries do, including the UK. Why not the USA?

I actually know of a small shop that is operated by a blind group and has
blind employees working. Despite all US bills being the same size, the
(blind) employees are able to tell the difference. How? I really don't
know, but they are able to determine the different denominations somehow (it
usually takes them a few seconds) and they have no problem giving correct
change. You do have to tell them what you have so they can ring it up on
the register correctly, but sometimes they can tell because of smell (i.e.
cup of coffee) or sounds (fountain soda machine). If you ask for a product
behind the counter, like a certain type of cigarettes or a pack of Tylenol,
they know where they're located. They're quite good and you would be amazed
at their abilities despite being blind.

Personally, I believe it would be good if the US had different sizes for
each banknote; it would make it easier for *all* people, including people
who are blind or have problems seeing.

Last but not least, I have one friend who is deaf and he gets along quite
well in society even though he can't hear. I've learned how to sign a
little bit after meeting him through a friend and it's been a learning
experience. Instead of having a cell phone like many of us have, he carries
around a text pager & a wireless instant messenger device for
communications. When we go out to coffee shops, restaurants, malls, and
other places in public he has no problems. He doesn't see himself as being
disabled either, but instead challenged. He can read lips quite well too,
but he does have trouble speaking. If he really needs to say something to
someone who doesn't understand him, he has a device he can type into which
then sounds (reads) it to the person. Despite being deaf, he's lives
extremely well and independently.

Best,

Steve

James Anatidae

"Steve" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Marie Lewis" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > In article , gatsby
    > > writes
    > > >Should the U.S. make money with a certain "feel" to it so that blind
    > > >people can tell what denomination it is (not a bad idea actually).
    > >
    > > Many countries do, including the UK. Why not the USA?
    > Personally, I believe it would be good if the US had different sizes for
    > each banknote; it would make it easier for *all* people, including people
    > who are blind or have problems seeing.
I know some countries do this. From I could find out using Yahoo, the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing [1] has considered that and rejected it as
too expensive. I can see their point. I've visited the government money
printing presses in D.C. and they're massive. The cost of replacing them
would be huge.

[1] The guys who print the paper money. For some odd reason, coins are made
by the US Mint, an entirely different agency.

Mxsmanic

"Steve" a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]. ..

    > Personally, I believe it would be good if the US
    > had different sizes for each banknote; it would
    > make it easier for *all* people, including people
    > who are blind or have problems seeing.

The euro is probably unique in that it was designed from the start in
consultation with groups representing the blind, and so both banknotes and
coins have been designed for easy recognition by touch. I know from
experiment that it's possible to easily recognize specific coins in one's
pocket without looking at them, since every coin is unique in some way.

Ajc

On Wed, 21 May 2003 03:10:54 GMT, "Steve"
wrote:

    >"Marie Lewis" wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >> In article , gatsby
    >> writes
    >> >Should the U.S. make money with a certain "feel" to it so that blind
    >> >people can tell what denomination it is (not a bad idea actually).
    >> Many countries do, including the UK. Why not the USA?
    >I actually know of a small shop that is operated by a blind group and has
    >blind employees working. Despite all US bills being the same size, the
    >(blind) employees are able to tell the difference. How? I really don't
    >know, but they are able to determine the different denominations somehow (it
    >usually takes them a few seconds) and they have no problem giving correct
    >change. You do have to tell them what you have so they can ring it up on
    >the register correctly, but sometimes they can tell because of smell (i.e.
    >cup of coffee) or sounds (fountain soda machine). If you ask for a product
    >behind the counter, like a certain type of cigarettes or a pack of Tylenol,
    >they know where they're located. They're quite good and you would be amazed
    >at their abilities despite being blind.
    >Personally, I believe it would be good if the US had different sizes for
    >each banknote; it would make it easier for *all* people, including people
    >who are blind or have problems seeing.


That always seems so weird when visiting the US, all the notes the
same size and colour! What also surprises me is that you still have $1
notes, it seems far too small a value not to be using coins, and
compared with other western countries you would probably start with $5
as the lowest denomination note. I remember during a short transfer at
a US airport trying to feed $1 notes in to a vending machine, just to
have them rejected. It wasn't just me, the woman at the next machine
couldn't get it to work either. It is in situations like that that $1
and $2 coins would be much more useful.



--==++AJC++==--

James Anatidae

"AJC" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Wed, 21 May 2003 03:10:54 GMT, "Steve"
    > wrote:
    > >
    > >"Marie Lewis" wrote in message
    > >news:[email protected]...
    > >> In article , gatsby
    > >> writes
    > >> >Should the U.S. make money with a certain "feel" to it so that blind
    > >> >people can tell what denomination it is (not a bad idea actually).
    > >>
    > >> Many countries do, including the UK. Why not the USA?
    > >
    > >I actually know of a small shop that is operated by a blind group and has
    > >blind employees working. Despite all US bills being the same size, the
    > >(blind) employees are able to tell the difference. How? I really don't
    > >know, but they are able to determine the different denominations somehow
(it
    > >usually takes them a few seconds) and they have no problem giving correct
    > >change. You do have to tell them what you have so they can ring it up on
    > >the register correctly, but sometimes they can tell because of smell
(i.e.
    > >cup of coffee) or sounds (fountain soda machine). If you ask for a
product
    > >behind the counter, like a certain type of cigarettes or a pack of
Tylenol,
    > >they know where they're located. They're quite good and you would be
amazed
    > >at their abilities despite being blind.
    > >
    > >Personally, I believe it would be good if the US had different sizes for
    > >each banknote; it would make it easier for *all* people, including people
    > >who are blind or have problems seeing.
    > That always seems so weird when visiting the US, all the notes the
    > same size and colour! What also surprises me is that you still have $1
    > notes, it seems far too small a value not to be using coins, and
    > compared with other western countries you would probably start with $5
    > as the lowest denomination note. I remember during a short transfer at
    > a US airport trying to feed $1 notes in to a vending machine, just to
    > have them rejected. It wasn't just me, the woman at the next machine
    > couldn't get it to work either. It is in situations like that that $1
    > and $2 coins would be much more useful.
We've tried one dollar coins twice, the Susan B. Anthony in 1979 and the
Sacagawea in 2000. They've both flopped. I guess Americans don't want
them. I have nothing agianst them myself, except for the fact they both
feel far too much like a quarter.

Marie Lewis

In article , James Anatidae
writes
    >I've visited the government money
    >printing presses in D.C. and they're massive. The cost of replacing them
    >would be huge.

You live in the richest country in the world and you cannot afford to
help the blind?
--
Marie Lewis

Gatsby

"James Anatidae" wrote in message news:...
    > "AJC" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > On Wed, 21 May 2003 03:10:54 GMT, "Steve"
    > > wrote:
    > >
    > > >
    > > >"Marie Lewis" wrote in message
    > > >news:[email protected]...
    > > >> In article , gatsby
    > > >> writes
    > > >> >Should the U.S. make money with a certain "feel" to it so that blind
    > > >> >people can tell what denomination it is (not a bad idea actually).
    > > >>
    > > >> Many countries do, including the UK. Why not the USA?
    > > >
    > > >I actually know of a small shop that is operated by a blind group and has
    > > >blind employees working. Despite all US bills being the same size, the
    > > >(blind) employees are able to tell the difference. How? I really don't
    > > >know, but they are able to determine the different denominations somehow
    > (it
    > > >usually takes them a few seconds) and they have no problem giving correct
    > > >change. You do have to tell them what you have so they can ring it up on
    > > >the register correctly, but sometimes they can tell because of smell
    > (i.e.
    > > >cup of coffee) or sounds (fountain soda machine). If you ask for a
    > product
    > > >behind the counter, like a certain type of cigarettes or a pack of
    > Tylenol,
    > > >they know where they're located. They're quite good and you would be
    > amazed
    > > >at their abilities despite being blind.
    > > >
    > > >Personally, I believe it would be good if the US had different sizes for
    > > >each banknote; it would make it easier for *all* people, including people
    > > >who are blind or have problems seeing.
    > >
    > >
    > > That always seems so weird when visiting the US, all the notes the
    > > same size and colour! What also surprises me is that you still have $1
    > > notes, it seems far too small a value not to be using coins, and
    > > compared with other western countries you would probably start with $5
    > > as the lowest denomination note. I remember during a short transfer at
    > > a US airport trying to feed $1 notes in to a vending machine, just to
    > > have them rejected. It wasn't just me, the woman at the next machine
    > > couldn't get it to work either. It is in situations like that that $1
    > > and $2 coins would be much more useful.
    > >
    > We've tried one dollar coins twice, the Susan B. Anthony in 1979 and the
    > Sacagawea in 2000. They've both flopped. I guess Americans don't want
    > them. I have nothing agianst them myself, except for the fact they both
    > feel far too much like a quarter.

That is the trouble with a British pound coin. I think of it in terms
of a US quarter and tend to overspend.

Gary Nichols

Marie Lewis

In article , gatsby
writes
    >That is the trouble with a British pound coin. I think of it in terms
    >of a US quarter and tend to overspend.


That is *your* trouble with the pound. We can all cope fine.
--
Marie Lewis

Dick Locke

On Wed, 21 May 2003 10:11:28 +0200, AJC wrote:

    >That always seems so weird when visiting the US, all the notes the
    >same size and colour


And I think we're just about the only country that doesn't put
western-style numbers on our coins. The Japanese 5-yen is the only
other one I've seen.

Wotenheck is "One Dime?"

Mrtravel

James Anatidae wrote:
    >> We've tried one dollar coins twice, the Susan B. Anthony in 1979 and the
    > Sacagawea in 2000. They've both flopped. I guess Americans don't want
    > them. I have nothing agianst them myself, except for the fact they both
    > feel far too much like a quarter.
    >

In order to work, someone has to convince businesses to hand them out as
change. Of course, they would have to get new change drawers.
Additionally, we need to stop printing the $1 bill. I would be happy to
use them if I got them as change. Right now, the places that seem to
give them out are generally automated mass transit ticket machines, and
the game attendants at Paramount's Great America. In recent experiences,
these places gave me a mixture of Susan B and Sac. I also was able to
use the Sac in a vending machine, but I can't recall the location.

Mrtravel

Dick Locke wrote:


    > And I think we're just about the only country that doesn't put
    > western-style numbers on our coins. The Japanese 5-yen is the only
    > other one I've seen.
    >
    > Wotenheck is "One Dime?"

Middle English, tenth part, from Old French disme, from Latin decima
(pars), tenth (part), from decem, ten. See dek in Indo-European Roots.]

Source: American Heritage Dictionary of English Language, 4th editiion
    

Ajc

On Wed, 21 May 2003 17:44:27 GMT, mrtravel
wrote:

    >Dick Locke wrote:
    >> And I think we're just about the only country that doesn't put
    >> western-style numbers on our coins. The Japanese 5-yen is the only
    >> other one I've seen.
    >>
    >> Wotenheck is "One Dime?"
    >Middle English, tenth part, from Old French disme, from Latin decima
    >(pars), tenth (part), from decem, ten. See dek in Indo-European Roots.]

Ok, that will help me remember now.




    >Source: American Heritage Dictionary of English Language, 4th editiion
    >

--==++AJC++==--

Ajc

On Wed, 21 May 2003 16:52:59 GMT, Dick Locke
wrote:

    >On Wed, 21 May 2003 10:11:28 +0200, AJC wrote:
    >>That always seems so weird when visiting the US, all the notes the
    >>same size and colour
    >And I think we're just about the only country that doesn't put
    >western-style numbers on our coins. The Japanese 5-yen is the only
    >other one I've seen.
    >Wotenheck is "One Dime?"

Hah, that's just what I always think when I go to the US. Nickle and
Dime, one is 5c and one is 10c but which is which :-)

--==++AJC++==--

Ajc

On Wed, 21 May 2003 17:31:38 GMT, mrtravel
wrote:

    >James Anatidae wrote:
    >>> We've tried one dollar coins twice, the Susan B. Anthony in 1979 and the
    >> Sacagawea in 2000. They've both flopped. I guess Americans don't want
    >> them. I have nothing agianst them myself, except for the fact they both
    >> feel far too much like a quarter.
    >>
    >In order to work, someone has to convince businesses to hand them out as
    >change. Of course, they would have to get new change drawers.
    >Additionally, we need to stop printing the $1 bill. I would be happy to
    >use them if I got them as change. Right now, the places that seem to
    >give them out are generally automated mass transit ticket machines, and
    >the game attendants at Paramount's Great America. In recent experiences,
    >these places gave me a mixture of Susan B and Sac. I also was able to
    >use the Sac in a vending machine, but I can't recall the location.


Yes, I would have thought the obvious thing to do is replace the $1
note with a coin, so you have a changeover period of say 6 months when
both are legal tender, but only coins are given in change, then a
further couple of years when the notes can be exchanged at banks.

--==++AJC++==--

Adrian Rothery

"AJC" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

    > Hah, that's just what I always think when I go to the US. Nickle and
    > Dime, one is 5c and one is 10c but which is which :-)
    > --==++AJC++==--

I wish I had half a bar every time I was confused by that one.

Adrian