It's not just vending machines.  ATM's, coin exchangers, etc.  I think our
time can be better put to other things such as better jobs for the blind,
better training for the blind, etc.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Rossi" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2002 1:49 PM
Subject: Re: American Council of the Blind seeks changes in U.S. currency


> I just felt like weighing in on this debate.
>
> Currency identification is probably not preventing the majority of blind
> people from participating in life to any significant degree.  However,
> that does not mean that we shouldn't work toward revamping our currency
> system.  Every other country that I have visited uses money of differing
> sizes and colors.  There is no reason why the U.S. couldn't do the same.
>
> As far as it being too expensive to replace the current system, that is
> rubbish.  As someone else has already pointed out, the life span of a bill
> is pretty short.  There would be a couple of years where both types of
> bills would be in circulation, but probably not even that long.  There
> might be some incremental cost in producing new engraving plates but it
> isn't like you are having to replace something that doesn't get replaced
> every day already.  The government is printing money constantly.  they
> would just shift to producing the new money instead of the old money.
>
> Refitting vending machines would be more of a concern but certainly not
> impossible.  I have no idea of what the life expectancy of a vending
> machine might be.  If they are long lived machines then the refit would be
> amortized over many years.  If these machines are short lived then they
> would just be replaced as needed.
>
> Just because we are trying to push along with altering our currency
> doesn't mean that we can't also push ahead with many of the other issues
> plaguing the blind community.
>
> Over all, I personally think that having money of varying sizes and colors

> would be a benefit to a much larger population than just the blind
> community.  It is a good idea and I think that it is worth the effort.
>
> What I would like to see is something like I saw when I was in Italy.  All
> the boxes of medication had braille on the box.  I thought that was
> absolutely fantastic!  The cost of putting braille on a box cutting die
> amortized over the hundreds of thousands of boxes produced by that die
> would be less than negligible.
>
> Just my 42 cents.
>
>
>
> --
> Blue skies.
> Dan Rossi
> Carnegie Mellon University.
> E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
> Tel:    (412) 268-9081
>


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