Treasury ordered to make bills recognizable to blind people

USA Today & AP ^ | 11/28/2006

[CharlesWayneCT]

Putting a set of slightly raised bumps, or little holes, in the currency shouldn't effect those items any more than changing the paper and color and print on the bills did.

I understand that changing sizes could cause trouble with some automated machines, but small changes in the larger denomination bills (the ones that are not put into change machines) might be implementable without changing the automated teller machines.

Also, nothing in the Judge's order requires changes to be rolled out immediately, just that we figure out how to do this so we aren't still having the conversation 20 years from now.

[CharlesWayneCT]

The article said they weren't looking to change the 1 dollar bill. If you change the other bills, the 1-dollar bill will be distinguishable by NOT having markings.

I'm also betting we could figure out a change that would make the bill physically distinguishable without breaking the machines, maybe by finding a location to put small holes in the bill which you could feel. Doesn't even have to be braille, just one hole for a 5, 2 for a 10, maybe in a different spot for a 20, 50, and 100.

Didn't the recent redesign of the bills require the machines to be upgraded (I don't know, did we redesign the 1 dollar bill, maybe not)?

[jveritas]

If we force every damn liberal to force what they preach, there will be no more liberalism.

[olde north church]

The answer is really quite simple and most people wouldn't even notice the difference. The serial number for the bill could start with the braille equivalent for that bill denominaiton. For a $5.00, start with the braille for 5, 10 for the $10.00 bill and so on. I'm sure through thermal technology a raised bump could be added. I mean they added a plastic strip into money with denomination, didn't they? Yeah, they did, and how many people remember the reason for that was to count money going through airports?

[flaglady47]

This whole subject is idiotic. We should make ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGES, period. We've got to stop this constant accomodation of the minority while making the majority bend to its will. How infintisimal is the number of U.S. citizens that are blind, I ask you? Somehow to this point in time the blind have managed to deal with using paper money. They have figured out ways around this problem, just as blind people have to figure out ways around a myriad of problems caused by their being blind. Maybe we should change how movie theaters do audio to accomodate the deaf, or allow the mentally ill to be cops and firefighters (they have minority rights, you know). I am so sick of this PC cr*p I could toss my cookies.

We've got to get rid of these lone ranger judges who try to make names for themselves or cause trouble for the rest of us with their rogue rulings. No more appointed judgeships, only elected ones. Term limits for judges. Recalls made easier of judges. Governors of States allowed to get rid of judges who make outrageous rulings, or referendum them out. Whatever it takes. Leave our currency alone and concentrate on getting rid of bad bad judges (almost all of them being libs, of course).

[kingu]

First, since the judge has ruled that the money is unconstitutional, pull the judge's salary and benefits until such time as the money is constitutional again.

Second, I'm not blind, and I can still feel the ridges on the different denominations. Those who don't have as sensitive of a touch use the old fashion technique of folding different denominations in different ways - a five in half the short way, a dollar in half the long way, a ten quartered, etc.

Yet again a case of a judge making policy and law rather than interpreting the law.

[cva66snipe]

Maybe if the U.S. Treasury simply left the money alone the issue would resolve itself. I've known blind persons who knew all currency strictly by feel of the texture alone. My wifes step mom was a bank teller. She could count her till and never even look at it and talk at the same time. She counted by the feel even though she could see it. Feel counting was faster and with her accurate.

I can see and I can't keep up with the coin changes now much less the bills. There is no reason for this except to perhaps get us more used to a common Trade Union Currency perhaps like the Euro is?

[burzum]

The article said they weren't looking to change the 1 dollar bill. If you change the other bills, the 1-dollar bill will be distinguishable by NOT having markings.

Or even better, by not existing. A dime 70 years ago would be worth more than a dollar bill today. We don't need a bill for such small currency. At the same time we should eliminate the penny since it is worthless (and perhaps all other coins except the quarter and dollar coins--about 2 pennies and 7 pennies value respectively). We should even consider making a $5 coin and phasing out the $5 bill (worth about a quarter and a dime 70 years ago).

[steve-b]

I wish someone could explain to me why there are braile instruction on a drive in teller machine.

Because it's cheaper to make all the ATMs the same way.

[cydcharisse]

Jefferson: Movin' on Up (To the East Side)

[Big Guy and Rusty 99]

"sir . . . sir . . . will you please stop licking the money?"

[Biscuit85]

Pay Me In Singles

I got this message on my blackberry this afternoon

"FEDERAL JUDGE RULES AMERICAN PAPER MONEY IS UNFAIR TO BLIND PEOPLE"

Thankfully the judge wouldn't tell anyone how to fix the problem, but he told them to start working on the problem within 10 days.

You know what else is unfair to blind people? Being blind...

Money in its present form is also unfair to the following;

Quadraplegics
Amputees
People who can't count
Lazy people
Intellectually challenged people
Psychlogically challenged people
Poor people
People who can't read English
Atheists
Muslims
Foreign Tourists
etc...

So until somebody tells me how to accomodate all those people, I will spend my American greenbacks in shame.

http://westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2006/11/pay_me_in_singl.html

[ChurtleDawg]

actually, the Federal reserve would fit in with Hamilton's thinking
others, like Jefferson, would be appalled by the Fed

[ChurtleDawg]

you won't find anything about the Federal reserve, a private bank, issuing currency either.

[prisoner6]

Excerpt from USA Today removed. Only a title and link can be posted

Oh GOOD LORD!

DINA-SORE MEDIA.....STOP THE INSANITY!

prisoner6

[beyond the sea]

I can do a pretty good job by process of elimination. If I can feel it in my wallet it sure isn't a hundred-dollar bill.

ROFL .......... you continue to amaze me with your consistent wit and wisdom.

Please write a book soon ..... and send me a signed copy or three.

;-)

[NonValueAdded]

Franklin: thank heaven for little girls
Hamilton: bang, bang, they shot me down
Jefferson: love child

[N. Theknow]

Ray Charles got paid in all singles

[Condor51]

****I can do a pretty good job by process of elimination. If I can feel it in my wallet it sure isn't a hundred-dollar bill.****

Me too, with one exception. If I can feel it in my wallet -- it's not my wallet :-)

[green iguana]

My fav is the braile on the drive-up ATMS...