[nfb-talk] Fw: [acb-l] Associated PressReportsACB'sVictoryRequiring Accessable Currency

Thu Nov 30 13:44:12 CST 2006

The making of new currency is a good idea not just for the blind but also for the sighted folks. My daughter works at a fast food restaurant and her manager cashed a fake $100 bill. Even if one holds the money up to a light it is getting more difficult for cashiers to tell weather currency is real or fabricated because of the suffistication of scanning devices. 

I like your idea of changing length of the bills. Think of how much easier it would be for persons who are blind to get jobs as cashiers. One would not have to spend $300 or more for a cash reading device.

Just my two sense.
Hope 

-----Original Message-----
.From: "David Evans"<drevans at bellsouth.net>
.Sent: 11/30/06 9:09:04 AM
.To: "NFB Talk Mailing List"<nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
.Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: [acb-l] Associated PressReportsACB'sVictoryRequiring Accessible Currency
.
.
.Dear All,
.
.I don't think that dealing with cash is that big of a problem, but if they 
.are going to change the money in some way, I would recommend that they keep 
.the width of the bills the same and just change the length.
.This way, it would be easy to measure the bills length against a simple 
.measuring tool to ensure the worth of the bill in question.
.This might not even require a change in vending machines or bill trays in 
.cash registers.
.Using a form of plastic instead of cloth could allow the embedding of a 
.electronic code in the  material of the bill that could be used by vending 
.machines and money counters to verify that the bill is real and 
.automatically read its worth and face value.
.These things I mentioned would be nice, but dealing with money is not a 
.problem for me or most blind people.
.  I fold my money or carry it in a money clip with the large bills in the 
.back and singles in the front.
.I always break my larger bills first and try to not carry anything larger 
.than a twenty if I can help it.  Not because I can not identify the bills, 
.but because I don't want to tempt robbers.
.As I get most of my cash from a ATM, I know what I have ask for and if I 
.need bills in something other than a twenty or a ten I just go inside my 
.bank and ask for it.
.All of the tellers have cameras trained on them so there is a record if they 
.should try to short change me.
.
.As I said, I don't really see it as a big problem.  Finding  a job, for most 
.blind people, is a far greater need than changing the money. Better Public 
.Transportation is a far bigger problem to employment than dealing with cash 
.money.
.I work some 40 miles away from where I live.  The 2 hours one way trips take 
.allot out of my day and the pleasure of being able to work.
. if you all don't complain about what shape the money is in, I won't 
.complain about the time it takes me to get to and from work.  I don't care 
.as long as I have enough money to live and do what I want to do.
.
.David Evans, NFBF
.----- Original Message ----- 
.From: "Alan Wheeler" <awheeler at neb.rr.com>
.To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
.Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 6:40 AM
.Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: [acb-l] Associated Press 
.ReportsACB'sVictoryRequiring Accessible Currency
.
.
.> Actually?  I met a cashier, not long ago, who said another blind person 
.> told
.> them to put the large bills on top, and I really like that system.  What 
.> do
.> y'all think?
.>
.>
.>
.>
.> Alan Wheeler
.> awheeler at neb.rr.com or alan_wheeler at neb.rr.com
.> redwheel1 on skype
.> http://alan-wheeler.blogspot.com/
.> "Tell the people the truth and the country will be free"
.>  --Abraham Lincoln
.>
.>
.> -----Original Message-----
.> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
.> Behalf Of Constance Canode
.> Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 9:44 PM
.> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
.> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: [acb-l] Associated Press Reports
.> ACB'sVictoryRequiring Accessible Currency
.>
.> When I go to the bank or when I am shopping, it is very simple to tell the
.> clerk to give you the 20s first, tens, etc.  I can honestly say that it 
.> only
.> takes a couple of seconds and I have never been ripped off.  Leave it to 
.> the
.> ACB to make a big deal out of this.  There are so many other issues in 
.> life
.> that are of much greater importance than the size of bills.
.>
.> Connie Canode
.> At 11:26 AM 11/29/2006, you wrote:
.>>Hey folks,
.>>
.>>So we fold our money and can identify it that way.  Very true.
.>>
.>>But a sighted person is generally needed to identify the denominations
.>>in the first place.
.>>
.>>I'm going to air on the side of logic here.  Yeah, we should make them
.>>different sizes.  Forget different colors because that leaves many of
.>>us out.  Forget coins for obvious reasons.  The gold standard ain't coming'
.>>back.  Let's just make the denominations different sizes.  Makes sense
.>>to be able to identify it from the time you take possession of it, on
.>>your own.  No?
.>>
.>>Federationist I am and damn proud of that.  But not doing anything
.>>makes very little sense.
.>>
.>>Harmeet
.>>
.>>-----Original Message-----
.>>From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
.>>On Behalf Of ANTONIO GUIMARAES
.>>Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 8:47 PM
.>>To: NFB Talk Mailing List
.>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: [acb-l] Associated Press Reports
.>>ACB'sVictoryRequiring Accessible Currency
.>>
.>>Braille on dollar bills would make bills too bulky, and awkward for
.>>banks to store, and transport.
.>>
.>>Solely relying on coins would be expensive, and banks would oppose it
.>>for the same reason mention above.
.>>
.>>The article states
.>>
.>>"Of the more than 180 countries that issue paper currency, only the
.>>United States prints bills that are identical in size and color in all
.>>their denominations,"
.>>Robertson wrote."
.>>
.>>  Is this a fact? Is the United States oh so backward? Besides, if
.>>money is to be made accessible to the blind, do we want it to be a
.>>visual feature, or will it be a clear tactile distinction.
.>>
.>>What can we do to make money accessible to the blind? More jobs, and
.>>less fuss about the rehabilitation act sounds like sound policy to me.
.>>
.>>In addition to my comments, I am including what seems to be the full,
.>>unedited, uncut version of the article, witch I received on another
.>>list, not an ACB list.
.>>
.>>It might be valuable to read the edited out part first, I think, so
.>>here it
.>>is:
.>>
.>>The other side, left out of the ACB/generated e-mail
.>>
.>>Others have developed ways to cope with the similarly shaped bills.
.>>Melanie Brunson, a member of the American Council of the Blind, told
.>>the court that she folds her bills into different shapes: $1 bills stay
.>>straight, $5 bills are folded in half left to right, $10 bills in half
.>>top to bottom and $20 in quarters.
.>>
.>>The Treasury Department had no comment on the ruling Tuesday. The
.>>government has 10 days to decide whether to appeal.
.>>
.>>U.S. bills have not always been the same size. In 1929, the government
.>>standardized the size and shrank all bills by about 30 percent to lower
.>>manufacturing costs and help distinguish between genuine and
.>>counterfeit notes.
.>>
.>>Since then, the Treasury Department has worked to stay ahead of
.>>counterfeiters. Security threads and microprinting were introduced in
.>>1990. The portraits were enlarged in 1996, and an infrared feature was
.>>added to encourage the development of electronic readers for the blind.
.>>
.>>The latest redesign is under way. New $10 bills, featuring splashes of
.>>orange, yellow and red, hit the market this year, following similar
.>>changes to the $20 bill in 2003 and the $50 bill in 2004. The $5
.>>facelift is due in 2008.
.>>
.>>In court documents, government attorneys said changing the way money
.>>feels would be expensive. Cost estimates ranged from $75 million in
.>>equipment upgrades and $9 million annual expenses for punching holes in
.>>bills to $178 million in one-time charges and $50 million annual
.>>expenses for printing bills of varying sizes.
.>>
.>>Any change to the dollar's design could ripple into the vending machine
.>>industry, which participated in discussions regarding previous
.>>redesigns.
.>>The American
.>>Council of the Blind is not seeking changes to the $1 bill, according
.>>to court documents.
.>>
.>>The Treasury Department spent $4.2 billion on printing over the past
.>>decade, Robertson said. Adding a raised number to the bills would have
.>>increased costs less than 5 percent over that period, he said.
.>>
.>>"If additional savings could be gained by incorporating the new feature
.>>into a larger redesign, such as those that took place in 1996 or 2004,
.>>the total burden of adding such a feature would be even smaller,"
.>>Robertson wrote.
.>>
.>>
.>>
.>>
.>>
.>>
.>>Now, the full article
.>>Judge: make bills recognizable to blind MATT APUZZO Associated Press
.>>
.>>WASHINGTON - The government discriminates against blind people by
.>>printing money that all looks and feels the same, a federal judge said
.>>Tuesday in a ruling that could change the face of American currency.
.>>
.>>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.
.>>
.>>The American Council of the Blind has proposed several options,
.>>including printing bills of differing sizes, adding embossed dots or
.>>foil to the paper or using raised ink.
.>>
.>>"Of the more than 180 countries that issue paper currency, only the
.>>United States prints bills that are identical in size and color in all
.>>their denominations,"
.>>Robertson wrote. "More than 100 of the other issuers vary their bills
.>>in size according to denomination, and every other issuer includes at
.>>least some features that help the visually impaired."
.>>
.>>Government attorneys argued that forcing the Treasury Department to
.>>change the size of the bills or add texture would make it harder to
.>>prevent counterfeiting.
.>>Robertson was not swayed.
.>>
.>>"The fact that each of these features is currently used in other
.>>currencies suggests that, at least on the face of things, such
.>>accommodations are reasonable,"
.>>he wrote.
.>>
.>>He said the government was violating the Rehabilitation Act, which
.>>prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in government
.>>programs. The opinion came after a four-year legal fight.
.>>
.>>Electronic devices are available to help blind people differentiate
.>>between bills, but many complain that they are slow, expensive and
.>>unreliable. Visually impaired shoppers frequently rely on store clerks
.>>to help them.
.>>
.>>"It's just frankly unfair that blind people should have to rely on the
.>>good faith of people they have never met in knowing whether they've
.>>been given the correct change," said Jeffrey A. Lovitky, attorney for
.>>the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
.>>
.>>Others have developed ways to cope with the similarly shaped bills.
.>>Melanie Brunson, a member of the American Council of the Blind, told
.>>the court that she folds her bills into different shapes: $1 bills stay
.>>straight, $5 bills are folded in half left to right, $10 bills in half
.>>top to bottom and $20 in quarters.
.>>
.>>The Treasury Department had no comment on the ruling Tuesday. The
.>>government has 10 days to decide whether to appeal.
.>>
.>>U.S. bills have not always been the same size. In 1929, the government
.>>standardized the size and shrank all bills by about 30 percent to lower
.>>manufacturing costs and help distinguish between genuine and
.>>counterfeit notes.
.>>
.>>Since then, the Treasury Department has worked to stay ahead of
.>>counterfeiters. Security threads and microprinting were introduced in
.>>1990. The portraits were enlarged in 1996, and an infrared feature was
.>>added to encourage the development of electronic readers for the blind.
.>>
.>>The latest redesign is under way. New $10 bills, featuring splashes of
.>>orange, yellow and red, hit the market this year, following similar
.>>changes to the $20 bill in 2003 and the $50 bill in 2004. The $5
.>>facelift is due in 2008.
.>>
.>>In court documents, government attorneys said changing the way money
.>>feels would be expensive. Cost estimates ranged from $75 million in
.>>equipment upgrades and $9 million annual expenses for punching holes in
.>>bills to $178 million in one-time charges and $50 million annual
.>>expenses for printing bills of varying sizes.
.>>
.>>Any change to the dollar's design could ripple into the vending machine
.>>industry, which participated in discussions regarding previous
.>>redesigns.
.>>The American
.>>Council of the Blind is not seeking changes to the $1 bill, according
.>>to court documents.
.>>
.>>The Treasury Department spent $4.2 billion on printing over the past
.>>decade, Robertson said. Adding a raised number to the bills would have
.>>increased costs less than 5 percent over that period, he said.
.>>
.>>"If additional savings could be gained by incorporating the new feature
.>>into a larger redesign, such as those that took place in 1996 or 2004,
.>>the total burden of adding such a feature would be even smaller,"
.>>Robertson wrote.
.>>
.>>
.>>
.>>----- Original Message -----
.>>From: "dmgina" <dmgina at qwest.net>
.>>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
.>>Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 10:56 PM
.>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: [acb-l] Associated Press Reports
.>>ACB'sVictoryRequiring Accessible Currency
.>>
.>>
.>>If they put the Braille on the money then I would be for it.
.>>But if we go to all coins then that wouldn't help those of us who have
.>>bad shoulders.
.>>Carrying out all of the money they need.
.>>Just some thoughts.
.>>
.>>
.>>--Dar
.>>every saint has a past,
.>>every sinner has a future
.>>----- Original Message -----
.>>From: "James Aldrich" <jkaldrich at qwest.net>
.>>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
.>>Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 9:45 PM
.>>Subject: [nfb-talk] Fw: [acb-l] Associated Press Reports ACB's
.>>VictoryRequiring Accessible Currency
.>>
.>>
.>>Hello all,
.>>
.>>Since this subject has come up, here is the material which brought this
.>>forth.  ACB has advocated for the printing of braille money or some
.>>kind of identification for our paper currency.  This should be
.>>interesting indeed as to how it will play out.  No doubt somebody might
.>>say that federal judge is too pushy and the whole thing could be thrown
.>>out.  This is something to be watched.
.>>
.>>Jim Aldrich
.>>
.>>
.>>----- Original Message -----
.>>From: "Tom Mills" <tmills79 at bellsouth.net>
.>>To: <acb-l at acb.org>
.>>Cc: <alabama at acb.org>; "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List"
.>><blindlaw at nfbnet.org>; <4alabama at nfbnet.org>
.>>Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 3:28 PM
.>>Subject: [acb-l] Associated Press Reports ACB's Victory Requiring
.>>Accessible Currency
.>>
.>>
.>>Judge: make bills recognizable to blind 11/28/2006, 4:49 p.m. ET By
.>>MATT APUZZO The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - By keeping all U.S.
.>>currency the same size and texture, the government has denied blind
.>>people meaningful access to money, a federal judge said Tuesday.
.>>U.S. District Judge James Robertson said the Treasury Department has
.>>violated the law, and he ordered the government 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 within 10 days. The American
.>>Council of the Blind has proposed several options, including printing
.>>bills of differing sizes, adding embossed dots or foil to the paper or
.>>using raised ink.
.>>"Of the more than 180 countries that issue paper currency, only the
.>>United States prints bills that are identical in size and color in all
.>>their denominations," Robertson wrote. "More than 100 of the other
.>>issuers vary their bills in size according to denomination, and every
.>>other issuer includes at least some features that help the visually
.>>impaired."
.>>Government attorneys argued that forcing the Treasury Department to
.>>change the size of the bills or add texture would make it harder to
.>>prevent counterfeiting.
.>>Robertson
.>>was not swayed.
.>>"The fact that each of these features is currently used in other
.>>currencies suggests that, at least on the face of things, such
.>>accommodations are reasonable,"
.>>he wrote.
.>>He said the government was violating the Rehabilitation Act, which
.>>prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in government
.>>programs. The opinion came after a four-year legal fight.
.>>"It's a landmark decision. I believe it will benefit millions of
.>>people,"
.>>said Jeffrey
.>>A. Lovitky, attorney for plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
.>>Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
.>>This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or
.>>redistributed.
.>>(c) 2006 al.com All Rights Reserved.
.>>
.>>
.>>
.>>************************************************************
.>>Join the MMS program of ACB and help improve tomorrow today in ACB.
.>>Contact Dr. Ron Milliman, MMS Program Committee Chair, by e-mail:
.>>rmilliman at ziggycom.net
.>>or by phone at 270-782-9325 and get started making
.>>tomorrow look brighter today!
.>>
.>>* ACB-L is maintained and brought to you as a service      *
.>>* of the American Council of the Blind.                    *
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.>>
.>>
.>>
.>>
.>>--
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.>>11/28/2006
.>>3:22 PM
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.>>
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.>
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