Us Oppresses The Blind

[Dubh Aingeal]

The United States is one of the few countries in the world whose currency isn't distinguishable by blind people. Most other nations use raised text, different-sized bills, or other methods to assist blind people in spending their money. If a recent decision by a federal court in D.C. survives appeal, however, that will soon change. Under Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, federal programs cannot deny 'meaningful access' to people with disabilities. Because blind people are unable to distinguish U.S. currency without assistance, the court held that they are denied meaningful access to their own money. U.S. District Judge James Robertson ordered the Treasury Department to come up with ways for the blind to tell bills apart. He said he wouldn't tell officials how to fix the problem, but he ordered them to begin working on it."

[Head Wreck]

differant sized bills like they do here perhaps. would also cut down on the bleach and reprint scams.

i really had issues with your currency while over there, i couldnt look into my wallet and glance at what i had, i hyad to check every note.

really cuts down on looking suave and sophisticated when your clumbsily thumbing through notes to buy a girl a drink

[BrassFusion]

differant sized bills like they do here perhaps. would also cut down on the bleach and reprint scams.

i really had issues with your currency while over there, i couldnt look into my wallet and glance at what i had, i hyad to check every note.

really cuts down on looking suave and sophisticated when your clumbsily thumbing through notes to buy a girl a drink

Most of us don't know what it's like to not have to do that. I can't speak for everybody, but different sized bills would probably irritate me at first.

[Steven]

chicken bacon ranch, two different sizes.

mmmmmmmm

[BrassFusion]

chicken bacon ranch, two different sizes.

mmmmmmmm

If you keep going off topic like this imma ban you. From life.

What were we talking about again?

[Der Nister]

According to blind people I've known they insist they are not handicapped nor have they ever raised the issue of our currency being a problem for them but hey - I have no issues with our government once again changing the look of our legal tender.

I'm sure nobody really minds if they also make us (as per usual) pay for the change.

[BrassFusion]

According to blind people I've known they insist they are not handicapped nor have they ever raised the issue of our currency being a problem for them but hey - I have no issues with our government once again changing the look of our legal tender.

I'm sure nobody really minds if they also make us (as per usual) pay for the change.

Who else is going to pay for it? Martians?

Edit: Better idea. We should make blind people pay for the currency modifications, because they're the only ones who'll benefit from it anyway. And they'll pay us in 20's but we'll lie and say they were 5's and we need more. BRILLIANT

[Steven]

If you keep going off topic like this imma ban you. From life.

What were we talking about again?

OK you got me but HEY - just between you and I - don't you kind of owe me like a little follow up story in another medium outside of DGN???

Hmmm?

[Der Nister]

Who else is going to pay for it? Martians?

Edit: Better idea. We should make blind people pay for the currency modifications, because they're the only ones who'll benefit from it anyway. And they'll pay us in 20's but we'll lie and say they were 5's and we need more. BRILLIANT

Wow oh so witty girl -

next time we meet I'd like to hear this wit of yours in person instead of from behind your keys ok?

And to spell it out for ya (like always) you didn't have anything to say to me when we met but you have lots to say online.

[AntiHero]

Never had to deal with different sizes before. Can you feel a moderate difference in size?

(I pause for all the commentary on the question I just asked.)

I imagine if your senses are a bit more keen due to lack of sight that might be a bit different. Need to make all bills $10 and below in the form of a coin. IMO

[Steven]

Wow oh so witty girl -

next time we meet I'd like to hear this wit of yours in person instead of from behind your keys ok?

And to spell it out for ya (like always) you didn't have anything to say to me when we met but you have lots to say online.

pretty sure she was joking dude.

and back off my girl......

[BrassFusion]

Wow oh so witty girl -

next time we meet I'd like to hear this wit of yours in person instead of from behind your keys ok?

And to spell it out for ya (like always) you didn't have anything to say to me when we met but you have lots to say online.

pretty sure she was joking dude.

and back off my girl......

Lol, I really don't know if he meant that as a friendly jab or something more... si-nister...

Sorry if you took it personally, Nist, I didn't mean the whole thing to be some insult to you. And if you're wondering why I didn't say anything to you when I met you in person, it's cuz I'm usually shy when I first meet people.

Further, if you were wondering why I didn't bust out with freestyle yo momma jokes when I met you in person, it's cuz I like what I know about you so far. You seem like a cool guy.

I'm not a pussy who's afraid of talking shit to people for fear of getting my ass beat. Ask any of my friends. I just don't see any reason to insult people I don't know for no reason.

However, stuff on DGN is a community discussion. I "know" a great deal of the people on here and they "know" me. If someone says something stupid about how Britney Spears shouldn't undergo surgery to get rid of stretch marks because it would mar her natural beauty, REGARDLESS WHO SAID IT, I would take that opportunity to make a snarky comment that would no doubt benefit the community. It's not meant to be at the author's expense, it's at Britney's.

In this case, it's not meant to be at your expense, it's at those retarded blind people. They should learn to differentiate by smell.

That, and lighten up.

[pomba gira]

According to blind people I've known they insist they are not handicapped nor have they ever raised the issue of our currency being a problem for them but hey - I have no issues with our government once again changing the look of our legal tender.

I'm sure nobody really minds if they also make us (as per usual) pay for the change.

I've actually asked quite a few blind or visually impaired people how they tell bills apart, and they've all said it's a hassle. But... everybody's different. Anyway, if changing the currency is going to make life easier for a significant number of folks, why not do it.

[AstralCrux]

....differentiate by smell.....

OMFG!!!!!! I almost fell off my chair! LMFAO- at work mind you!

[Marblez]

Raised text seems perfectly acceptable to me.

...and regarding the question of who pays for it, that would be the american taxpayer. Both the sighted and the blind.

[Dubh Aingeal]

Raised text would probably wear off thru usage. I have seen some ratty looking money come thru my wallet that was extremely faded and well worn.

[BrassFusion]

What about those little holographic squares, like on Canadian dollars? They could alter the size, shape, or position of those on bills of different denominations.

[Dubh Aingeal]

Like this should be any shock of a response from the Bush Administration:

An effort to force a redesign of the nation's currency so paper money could be more easily used by the blind would be too expensive and could cause undue hardships on the vending machine industry, the Bush administration says.

[Dubh Aingeal]

What about those little holographic squares, like on Canadian dollars? They could alter the size, shape, or position of those on bills of different denominations.

Yeah those might work, and its not like we can't do it, since we do print all of Canada's money any how.

[BrassFusion]

How can those fuckers justify saying "no" to this? It's not like blind people are a new demographic with unprecedented needs here. They generally pay taxes too, but WE get to use paper currency independently, without playing a sketchy game of "who should I trust to not screw me over." Fuck.

[The Kanuck]

Yeah those might work, and its not like we can't do it, since we do print all of Canada's money any how.

Really? I never knew that. I am not going to be offence here or anything but got any proof of this? As to the blind and the cash thinger. Why not just raise the number of the amount on the bill like in brail (sp) or something easy like that. I am quite sure also that the government could use this new helpy add-on for the blind to increase the secruity of the bills. Just a thought. ^.^

[BrassFusion]

Really? I never knew that. I am not going to be offence here or anything but got any proof of this? As to the blind and the cash thinger. Why not just raise the number of the amount on the bill like in brail (sp) or something easy like that. I am quite sure also that the government could use this new helpy add-on for the blind to increase the secruity of the bills. Just a thought. ^.^

Because they're stupid. We've been revamping the bills for several years now, I think it started with 100's then went down by denomination. We've even had two versions of all those new bills- classic green and color tint- so they had TWO OPPORTUNITIES to think, "hey, what can we do to make these usable for blind people?"

[Dollardave]

My uncles blind in one eye and gets disability he has diabetes so its just a matter of time b4 he loses all of his sight. Its sad cuz hes a nice fellow.

[Fierce Critter]

Just 'cause nobody mentioned it, and FYI:

Right now, what the blind generally do is fold their currency in different methods once they get it from the bank to differentiate denominations. For instance, they might fold 20's in half lengthwise, 10's in half width-wise, and will make various variations on said folds for other denominations.

As for revamping bills, I'm all for it. I personally like things to be aesthetically pleasing, and our money has been godawful boring compared to even some 3rd world countries for years, until very recently.

It seems to me the only solution in the long run is different sized bills. Braille or other raised demarcations will all rub off over time. And changing to more coinage is a potential pain in the ass because of the weight of carrying coins.

Exchanging currency between Canada & the U.S. can be a pain in the ass, as they eliminated one's for the Loony. They won't exchange coin at the border, only bills. So if you have any loonies left, you're stuck with them unless you buy a dollar's worth of gas or chips or something before crossing the border. Changing to more coins in the U.S. might present similar inconveniences.

As for the different sized bills in vending machines thing, most machines only take 1's, and not bigger denominations anyway. Keep the 1's the same size and voila, you still can use the majority of vendors in existence.