WWTBAM Bored

wallet have in common


they both discriminate against the handicapped

WASHINGTON — The U.S. discriminates against blind people by printing paper money that makes it impossible for them to distinguish the bills' value, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The ruling upholds a decision by a lower court in 2006. It could force the Treasury Department to redesign its money. Suggested changes have ranged from making bills different sizes to printing them with raised markings.

The U.S. acknowledges that the design hinders blind people but it argued they had adapted —some relied on store clerks for help, some used credit cards and others folded certain corners to help distinguish the bills.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356727,00.html

themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:wallet have in common


they both discriminate against the handicapped

WASHINGTON — The U.S. discriminates against blind people by printing paper money that makes it impossible for them to distinguish the bills' value, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The ruling upholds a decision by a lower court in 2006. It could force the Treasury Department to redesign its money. Suggested changes have ranged from making bills different sizes to printing them with raised markings.

The U.S. acknowledges that the design hinders blind people but it argued they had adapted —some relied on store clerks for help, some used credit cards and others folded certain corners to help distinguish the bills.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356727,00.html

In other news, US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that all public buildings must remove all artwork, light bulbs, stairways, colored or patterned wallpaper, and any device that emits a sound such as an elevetore that 'dings', speakers for announcements or music, as they are 'discriminating' against blind and/or deaf persons.

Also, any ornamental design on the exterior of buildings must be removed as blind people can not appreciate that and it would be unfair for other to be able to appreciate it when they can not.

WWTBAM certainly doesn't discriminate against physically handicapped people, but if they did it would be permitted under law as quiz show contestants may be "cast".

To me, this seems like an insult against blind people. There has always been a fairly simple system used: Singles remain flat, fives are folded in half and 20s are folded lengthwise.

So are they now saying that the blind have recently become too stupid to keep this straight?

For the smart ass who is sure to ask "what about a hundy?", it gets folded in half twice and tucked into the secret compartment that sighted people use for condoms.

This ranks right up there with Braille on the drive-thru ATM.

fantine33 wrote:To me, this seems like an insult against blind people. There has always been a fairly simple system used: Singles remain flat, fives are folded in half and 20s are folded lengthwise.

So are they now saying that the blind have recently become too stupid to keep this straight?

I believe that the point is that they are compelled to trust the honesty of every person who ever hands them change, since those bills don't come pre-folded.

fantine33 wrote:To me, this seems like an insult against blind people. There has always been a fairly simple system used: Singles remain flat, fives are folded in half and 20s are folded lengthwise.

So are they now saying that the blind have recently become too stupid to keep this straight?

For the smart ass who is sure to ask "what about a hundy?", it gets folded in half twice and tucked into the secret compartment that sighted people use for condoms.

And what is their system for knowing that they received the correct bills as change when they make a purchase?

TheConfessor wrote:

fantine33 wrote:To me, this seems like an insult against blind people. There has always been a fairly simple system used: Singles remain flat, fives are folded in half and 20s are folded lengthwise.

So are they now saying that the blind have recently become too stupid to keep this straight?

For the smart ass who is sure to ask "what about a hundy?", it gets folded in half twice and tucked into the secret compartment that sighted people use for condoms.

And what is their system for knowing that they received the correct bills as change when they make a purchase?

It's easiest to use a denomination close enough to the total so that any paper you receive in change will be singles. If that's not possible, then you know what the bills will be as the cashier counts it back to you. The largest will be on top.

I admit that this was before the 'dump it in your hand and announce the total', but this is basically argumentative and not really worth refitting all the US Mints. Plus, with the advent of plastic, there's really no reason to pay for anything in cash that's over ten bucks.

MarleysGh0st wrote:

fantine33 wrote:To me, this seems like an insult against blind people. There has always been a fairly simple system used: Singles remain flat, fives are folded in half and 20s are folded lengthwise.

So are they now saying that the blind have recently become too stupid to keep this straight?

I believe that the point is that they are compelled to trust the honesty of every person who ever hands them change, since those bills don't come pre-folded.

I know this is funny coming from me, the most untrusting and cynical person on the planet, but I'd like to think that the vast majority of people are mostly honest when it comes to something like that, especially a cashier that's just handing you a couple bucks.

And I'm not talking about there being a special level of hell for cheating a blind person out of five bucks, I'm talking about a basic, natural response for doing something correctly.

fantine33 wrote:Plus, with the advent of plastic, there's really no reason to pay for anything in cash that's over ten bucks.

Most hookers and dealers prefer cash. Or so I hear.

TheConfessor wrote:

fantine33 wrote:To me, this seems like an insult against blind people. There has always been a fairly simple system used: Singles remain flat, fives are folded in half and 20s are folded lengthwise.

So are they now saying that the blind have recently become too stupid to keep this straight?

For the smart ass who is sure to ask "what about a hundy?", it gets folded in half twice and tucked into the secret compartment that sighted people use for condoms.

And what is their system for knowing that they received the correct bills as change when they make a purchase?

They use a debit card?

There is some interesting debate over this decision.

For one, the lawsuit apparently was opposed by the leading advocacy organization for blind and visually impaired Americans. In a paraphrase of what was a very poignant quote, a spokedman said that efforts should be made to get money into the pockets of blind people, not fooling around with how that money appears.

Second, the court apparently did not consider the burden placed upon third parties, as is required, if changes have to be made to the currency. More specifically, the cost to vending machine manufacturers who could have to re-design their machines to handle bills of different sizes or "textures", for example.

Lastly, as decisions in Rehab Act cases tend to become precedent for ADA cases, there is concern that this will encourage lawsuits against companies because their websites are not "accessible" to blind people. There laready has been a publicized lawsuit gainst Target.

Interesting legal issue(s).

TheConfessor wrote:

fantine33 wrote:Plus, with the advent of plastic, there's really no reason to pay for anything in cash that's over ten bucks.

Most hookers and dealers prefer cash. Or so I hear.

That's when you pull the c-notes out of the condom slot.

I'm already ordering a Braille Where's George? stamp.....

Don't want to be thought of as uncaring.....

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:I'm already ordering a Braille Where's George? stamp.....

Don't want to be thought of as uncaring.....

lb13

Cool! Now I can play along too!

Has anyone seen my wallet?

TheConfessor wrote:

fantine33 wrote:Plus, with the advent of plastic, there's really no reason to pay for anything in cash that's over ten bucks.

Most hookers and dealers prefer cash. Or so I hear.

All I gotta say is Be careful of your paper trail"

ne1410s wrote:This ranks right up there with Braille on the drive-thru ATM.

My wife, who drove a taxi for a few years, explained that to me. It was, she said, to permit blind people taking a taxi to the bank to enter their own PINs without having to tell the driver. It was a security/trust issue as well as an accessibility issue.

I don't know from discriminatory, but I've always thought it, well, dumb, that US bills are all the same size and basically the same color.

It's too darn easy to hand someone a 5 when you want to hand them a 20, or vice versa.

Other countries manage with varied sizes and colors. And they put people other than politicians on their money.

nitrah55 wrote:I don't know from discriminatory, but I've always thought it, well, dumb, that US bills are all the same size and basically the same color.

It's too darn easy to hand someone a 5 when you want to hand them a 20, or vice versa.

Other countries manage with varied sizes and colors. And they put people other than politicians on their money.

Which is a nice segue into last night's winning question for bar trivia:

The category was "money:

Who is the only living American athlete who is on a Scottish bank note?

ulysses5019 wrote:

nitrah55 wrote:I don't know from discriminatory, but I've always thought it, well, dumb, that US bills are all the same size and basically the same color.

It's too darn easy to hand someone a 5 when you want to hand them a 20, or vice versa.

Other countries manage with varied sizes and colors. And they put people other than politicians on their money.

Which is a nice segue into last night's winning question for bar trivia:

The category was "money:

Who is the only living American athlete who is on a Scottish bank note?

Spoiler

Jack Nicklaus had one with his picture on it a few years back at St. Andrews. I seem to remember it was a an oversized commemorative kind of thing but perhaps it was also made as legal tender.

ulysses5019 wrote:
Which is a nice segue into last night's winning question for bar trivia:

The category was "money:

Who is the only living American athlete who is on a Scottish bank note?

I know that the answer is Jack Nicklaus, but I cannot figure out his connection to Scotland, apart from golf. Maybe that's enough.

tanstaafl2 wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote:

nitrah55 wrote:I don't know from discriminatory, but I've always thought it, well, dumb, that US bills are all the same size and basically the same color.

It's too darn easy to hand someone a 5 when you want to hand them a 20, or vice versa.

Other countries manage with varied sizes and colors. And they put people other than politicians on their money.

Which is a nice segue into last night's winning question for bar trivia:

The category was "money:

Who is the only living American athlete who is on a Scottish bank note?

Spoiler

Jack Nicklaus had one with his picture on it a few years back at St. Andrews. I seem to remember it was a an oversized commemorative kind of thing but perhaps it was also made as legal tender.

Spoiler

http://www.banknotes.com/sq365.htm

silvercamaro wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote:
Which is a nice segue into last night's winning question for bar trivia:

The category was "money:

Who is the only living American athlete who is on a Scottish bank note?

I know that the answer is Jack Nicklaus, but I cannot figure out his connection to Scotland, apart from golf. Maybe that's enough.

Winning the British Open twice was enough for them to issue a commemorative £5 note.

Bob Juch wrote:Winning the British Open twice was enough for them to issue a commemorative £5 note.

Commemorative banknotes? Those are just bigger versions of collectible stamps!

Bob Juch wrote:

silvercamaro wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote:
Which is a nice segue into last night's winning question for bar trivia:

The category was "money:

Who is the only living American athlete who is on a Scottish bank note?

I know that the answer is Jack Nicklaus, but I cannot figure out his connection to Scotland, apart from golf. Maybe that's enough.

Winning the British Open twice was enough for them to issue a commemorative £5 note.

On the off-chance that you get asked the question on the radio trivia show, he won three Open Championships:

1966 at Muirfield
1970 at St. Andrews
1978 at St. Andrews.