Miscellaneous Discussion Thread II
I think reimagining all our coins is in order. A dollar and two dollar coin is long overdue, as is a fifty-cent piece that doesn't rip a hole in your pocket. I don't see any reason to include the year on each coin; the elimination of dates would cut production cost significantly as they wouldn't need new dies each year.
For much of our history, a quarter coin represented an hour of labor for most people. It wasn't until the 1930s that the average wage exceeded 25 cents an hour. A dollar coin was a day's wage in the West. Today, a roll of quarters doesn't equal an hour's wage.
If anything needs to be eliminated, it's the dollar bill.
Quote: linksjunkieNot sure I agree that more nickels will be needed. Why do you feel this way?
If everything is being rounded to the next $0.05 I don’t see how this is going to significantly increase the number of nickels needed.
I mean obviously $1.03 is now $1.05. But if you pay with $2 you’re getting $0.95 in change (3 quarters and 4 dimes).
I can’t really come up with a scenario that is going to cause a significant change in nickels needed.
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A study of nations that have removed their lowest denomination coins shows great demand for whichever coin is the new lowest denomination. It's one of the many reasons that moving away from the penny hasn't been done before.
three quarters and four dimes is $1.15. You just cost yourself thirty cents on a dollar item. Hopefully you can make it up with volume!
Quote: ChumpChangeThis was an illegal order but there's no Constitution in effect right now. The mint should ignore this order or a court will tell them to eventually. Until then, signs of "penny shortage" will pop up in stores, just like we had a "coin shortage" sign a couple years ago from COVID-19. When stores start rounding to the nickel will be up to the stores depending on how severe the penny shortage gets how fast. Sales taxes are the sticking point. Cash registers will have to auto-round and I've never heard of cash registers doing that. They may just go to plastic-only payments again.
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It's a legally dubious order, but it may be legal. The Secretary of Treasury is tasked to produce such coins as he deems necessary,
or words to such effect
I'm pretty sure it is illegal to round up taxes to the next nickel.
Physical uses of coins interest me. So I propose this: make all new pennies square, with interlocking edges and a small hole in the middle, so they can be used as roofing. A zinc roof the thickness of a penny will last forever. Got a leaky roof? Save your pennies! A contractor with the tools, some sealing adhesive to put underneath the pennies, and a specialized stainless steel nail gun will come, take your pennies, and put up your new roof at a reasonable cost.
And what a roof it would be! Both the reverse and obverse of the coin would have ridges, angled in one direction so that light is reflected at an angle. For the side against the roof they would just increase the contact area with the adhesive, but on the outside they would determine the appearance of the roof, and could be alternated to do art or spell words or numbers on the roof.
On February 4, 2013, the mint began melting down the estimated 35 billion pennies that were in circulation.
Cash transactions in Canada are now rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 cents.[53] The rounding is not done on each individual item, but on the total amount, with totals being rounded to the nearest multiple of 5, i.e., totals ending in 1 or 2 round down to 0, totals ending in 3, 4, 6, or 7 round to 5, and totals ending in 8 or 9 round up to 10.[53] This is typical of cash rounding methods (not specific to Canada). While existing pennies will remain legal tender indefinitely, those in circulation were withdrawn on February 4, 2013
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_(Canadian_coin)
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On 9 February 2025, President Donald Trump said he had ordered the Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent to stop producing new pennies, a move that he said would help reduce unnecessary government spending. This is despite the fact that Congress authorizes the Treasury on what coins mint, rather than the President.[10]
There has never been a coin in circulation in the U.S. worth as little as the penny is worth today, although currently other countries have coins with less purchasing power in circulation. Due to inflation, one nickel in 2017 was worth approximately what a penny was worth in 1974.[1] When the United States discontinued the half-cent coin in 1857, it had a 2023-equivalent buying power of about 16 cents.[1] After 1857, the new smallest coin was the one-cent, which had a 2023-equivalent buying power of 33 cents. The nickel fell below that value in 1973; the dime (at 10 cents) fell below that value in 1981; the quarter (at 25 cents) fell below that value in 2012.[32]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_debate_in_the_United_States
Federal judge orders HHS, CDC, and FDA to restore “by no later than 11:59 pm” today their websites and datasets to pre-January 30th status.
Court order also compels those agencies to restore by Feb. 14th those resources that are necessary for Doctors for America to provide medical care.
There's no reason to believe these court orders will be followed.
Quote: billryanThere are roughly 2.5 billion dollars worth of pennies
So there are now 1/4 trillion pennies? And someone is arguing that we mint MORE? Let them fade away.
I buy a soda from an automated machine at a hockey game where you can’t even use cash, and it asks for a 20% tip. We don’t need Pennie’s.
If I have a few cents in my pocket to facilitate another purchase I may use them.
I'm not gonna be used to carrying around 10-20 pennies so I can pay with exact change.
I usually take 10 rolls of pennies to the bank to get a $5 bill once a year or so.
My local grocery store was moving to plastic-only transactions a couple years ago because of the coin shortage. I can buy a gift card from the store of that store and use that. Single visit grocery purchases are getting to be over $100 or $200 and there's a $500 limit on the card.
If we hit a hyper-inflation scenario, coins won't matter, and bills won't matter, we'll have to use plastic.
Quote: DRichDon't be surprised if in the near future slot machines start asking for tips when you cashout.
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Wait until tips are tax free.
Quote: SOOPOOQuote: billryanThere are roughly 2.5 billion dollars worth of pennies
So there are now 1/4 trillion pennies? And someone is arguing that we mint MORE? Let them fade away.
I buy a soda from an automated machine at a hockey game where you can’t even use cash, and it asks for a 20% tip. We don’t need Pennie’s.
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The Mint estimates there are between 400 million and seven hundred million Wheat pennies in circulation. When was the last time you got one in your change?
Quote: billryanQuote: SOOPOOQuote: billryanThere are roughly 2.5 billion dollars worth of pennies
So there are now 1/4 trillion pennies? And someone is arguing that we mint MORE? Let them fade away.
I buy a soda from an automated machine at a hockey game where you can’t even use cash, and it asks for a 20% tip. We don’t need Pennie’s.
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The Mint estimates there are between 400 million and seven hundred million Wheat pennies in circulation. When was the last time you got one in your change?
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Not sure what ‘in circulation’ means? I have a few thousand left over from my numismatic days. They will never be truly ‘in circulation’.
When was the last time I got a penny at all? I give cash as tips to some service workers. And use it to buy chips at a casino. Otherwise, not at all.
Quote: SOOPOO[
Not sure what ‘in circulation’ means?
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I think it involves a lot of jars.
Quote: DRichDon't be surprised if in the near future slot machines start asking for tips when you cashout.
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TITO Kiosks already are (sort of).
Quote: ChumpChangeThis was an illegal order but there's no Constitution in effect right now. The mint should ignore this order or a court will tell them to eventually. Until then, signs of "penny shortage" will pop up in stores, just like we had a "coin shortage" sign a couple years ago from COVID-19. When stores start rounding to the nickel will be up to the stores depending on how severe the penny shortage gets how fast. Sales taxes are the sticking point. Cash registers will have to auto-round and I've never heard of cash registers doing that. They may just go to plastic-only payments again.
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Sounds like banned political speech here.
As to illegal, not so sure. It is really not disputable that the penny is a near useless coin. I do not think I have seen a gumball machine that takes them since I was a little kid in the 70s. IIRC even if they would not be a hassle filing up the machine it is difficult to get a vending machine to sense them vs. foreign coins. I pick them up for my penny pot, a fun decoration.
As late as the 2000s I heard toll booths in IL had machines that took pennies.
Trump killing the penny is a bit like the new CEO cutting something after the merger or LBO. It probably should have been done before but inertia kept stopping it.
The Associated Press will no longer be asking questions.
Quote: ChumpChangeThe Mississippi River flows into where?
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To the Gulf of America per google maps
Quote: ChumpChangeThe Mississippi River flows into where?
The Associated Press will no longer be asking questions.
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The Gulf of Vespucci? :)
How does someone like Musk manage his accounts, I mean in a physical way. Does he just open his account(s) from his phone with a password? Does he have someone who keeps track of how many billions he's up or down every moment who follows him around?
Quote: rxwineRandom question, not political.
How does someone like Musk manage his accounts, I mean in a physical way. Does he just open his account(s) from his phone with a password? Does he have someone who keeps track of how many billions he's up or down every moment who follows him around?
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I'd imagine all of the above. Plus his accountant may keep tabs on things and gives regular reports.
At that level, you don't have much choice in investment.
Anything you invest in, you end up owning.
watching my money, and another firm watching them.
At that level, you don't have much choice in investment.
Anything you invest in, you end up owning.
Quote: ChumpChangeJUST IN:
Federal judge orders HHS, CDC, and FDA to restore “by no later than 11:59 pm” today their websites and datasets to pre-January 30th status.
Court order also compels those agencies to restore by Feb. 14th those resources that are necessary for Doctors for America to provide medical care.
There's no reason to believe these court orders will be followed.
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5 day suspension for making a post about politics. I see no other way to interpret your post.
Quote: gordonm888Quote: ChumpChangeJUST IN:
Federal judge orders HHS, CDC, and FDA to restore “by no later than 11:59 pm” today their websites and datasets to pre-January 30th status.
Court order also compels those agencies to restore by Feb. 14th those resources that are necessary for Doctors for America to provide medical care.
There's no reason to believe these court orders will be followed.
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5 day suspension for making a post about politics. I see no other way to interpret your post.
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Would it have been permissible without the last line?
Quote: rxwineRandom question, not political.
How does someone like Musk manage his accounts, I mean in a physical way. Does he just open his account(s) from his phone with a password? Does he have someone who keeps track of how many billions he's up or down every moment who follows him around?
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I doubt he watches it or pays attention on a daily basis. I think I would have my advisors send me a weekly summary and a monthly detailed report.
Quote: billryanQuote: gordonm888Quote: ChumpChangeJUST IN:
Federal judge orders HHS, CDC, and FDA to restore “by no later than 11:59 pm” today their websites and datasets to pre-January 30th status.
Court order also compels those agencies to restore by Feb. 14th those resources that are necessary for Doctors for America to provide medical care.
There's no reason to believe these court orders will be followed.
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5 day suspension for making a post about politics. I see no other way to interpret your post.
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Would it have been permissible without the last line?
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No, its reporting current political news with no prior posts that naturally led up to this. The last sentence just made it partisan in addition to being merely political, and less likely to be let go with, say, a warning. It's also ChumpChange; thus there is no conceivable chance that he didn't understand the rule about political speech.
prostitution is legal in the U.S. only in Nevada - and in Nevada it is legal only in a few small rural counties
it is not legal in LV
but tons of tourists either think it is legal or act as if it was legal in LV
wiki estimates that there is 66 times as much illegal prostitution in LV as there is legal prostitution in the rest of Nevada
and to further confuse the situation - escorts are legal in LV - and there are tons of sexy ads featuring scantily clad females offering escort services
but they are not allowed to perform sexual services - I seriously doubt that this law is adhered to
law enforcement generally, I believe, looks the other way - but they do selectively enforce the law
.
Most of the places that it is legal are so remote they don't have brothels.
I like the Maine approach, where you can sell sex, but it is illegal to buy it.
Today is the 60th Anniversary of adapting the current Canadian flag. I don't recall ever seeing the old flag, although I was in Canada a few times before 1966. I remember the current flag was a big deal at Expo 67.
An internet search shows the sales of Canadian flags has gone up tremendously in recent weeks. Perhaps for this anniversary or perhaps because of other events.
Happy Flag Day to my Canadian neighbors and people of goodwill everywhere.
Quote: billryanProstitution is legal in about 95% of Nevada, but they are scarcely populated. Over 90% of the people live in the areas where it is illegal.
Most of the places that it is legal are so remote they don't have brothels.
I like the Maine approach, where you can sell sex, but it is illegal to buy it.
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Now I imagining a line, where Las Vegas hookers are driven out to, and it instantly becomes legal. I don’t think that really happens though. At least not for that reason.
Quote: billryanI think the law is written so that the transaction has to take place in a licensed location, and the girls need to be certified and healthy. I don't think there are licensed male brothels, although someone talked about opening one a few years ago.
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That might be my perfect part time job in retirement.
Quote: billryanI think the law is written so that the transaction has to take place in a licensed location, and the girls need to be certified and healthy. I don't think there are licensed male brothels, although someone talked about opening one a few years ago.
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It's been tried. I think one of the active houses has a male on call, who theoretically only serves women. Only problem is: for men, money, power, and sex are all the same thing, while for women- not even close- and nothing makes a girl feel uglier than having to pay for it. So a heterosexual male prostitute is a non-starter, from the strictly business perspective. They are serving males with certain atypical interests, sometimes in conjunction with one of the girls at the ranch.
Speaking of that, I've warned a few young guys visiting town about the rough trade strolling around on the Strip. These guys are inexperienced and often from rural areas where that doesn't exist so they can't tell. An actual prostitute who is just a prostitute makes being subtle and demure part of her appeal, because she just wants to keep working without upsetting anyone or making any enemies. The ones dressed ostentatiously and drawing attention to themselves are doing something else. Either guys in drag, and/or some kind of trap; violence, badger game, something along those lines. That is likely to end badly for some drunk farm kid from Iowa and possibly for the perpetrator too.
Quote: EvenBobI've never understood paying for sex. I'd be far too embarrassed, like I'm so pathetic that I couldn't get it on my own I had to pay somebody for it. I don't understand how it would be enjoyable to have sex with somebody who probably just had sex with another stranger an hour ago. That's just weird. Plus I would not be respecting the woman at all, quite the opposite. Why would I want to have sex with somebody like that, and pay for it on top of it?
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That's how we see it now. But think of some medieval sheik with 100 concubines. Nobody thought he was pathetic. But what is he doing? Using his money and power for sex. A guy picking up a streetwalker is doing the same thing, same instincts, just on a different scale. An executive cornering his secretary in his office during the workday is doing the same thing, and we revile that now but there was a time when it was tolerated.
To complicate it, we are all descended from just a few historical men who had habits like that sheik, so as far as those instincts are heritable, we have inherited them on our Y chromosomes. Women don't have those so they never made that same money/power/sex connection, but thy see it from the other side: they are attracted to the men with money and power, and they instinctively provide the third element of that triad to them.
Quote: EvenBobI've never understood paying for sex. I'd be far too embarrassed, like I'm so pathetic that I couldn't get it on my own I had to pay somebody for it. I don't understand how it would be enjoyable to have sex with somebody who probably just had sex with another stranger an hour ago. That's just weird. Plus I would not be respecting the woman at all, quite the opposite. Why would I want to have sex with somebody like that, and pay for it on top of it?
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I agree fully but some of those into that sort of thing claim that they are paying the girl not to stay but to leave.
I actually just finished watching Klute (1971) where Jane Fonda won the best actress Oscar for her portrayal of a high class call girl. There were a lot of cliches (the prostitute doesn’t allow herself to come with a John) but it might’ve been an over all accurate representation of the psychologically screwed up prostitute who provides different kinds of services.
There are entire blocks that normally have two of these closed pavilions and the rest is open space. Today, they were open, with dozens of booths and hundreds of cars looking for parking. Remote parking lots were charging $20 a car. It is crowded, but I don't see how these pavilions can open for two or three weeks a year. I thought they were abandoned, but last month, they all got power-washed and fresh
paint trim.
Quote: EvenBobI've never understood paying for sex. I'd be far too embarrassed, like I'm so pathetic that I couldn't get it on my own I had to pay somebody for it. I don't understand how it would be enjoyable to have sex with somebody who probably just had sex with another stranger an hour ago. That's just weird. Plus I would not be respecting the woman at all, quite the opposite. Why would I want to have sex with somebody like that, and pay for it on top of it?
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lol, maybe they are married, have wives and still don't have any sex.
sexual desire is at times an overwhelming feeling for some
when it's not available to them or when what is available to them is not satisfying -
then many look to the worlds oldest profession
the earliest known record of prostitution is from Babylonia in 2400 BC
accounts of prostitution date back to priestesses in Mesopotamian temples over 4,000 years ago
.
Quote: billryanThe Tucson Gem Show is in town and it is really amazing. There is no central location. There are about a dozen big event locations and dozens of smaller ones. There are twenty or more pavilion-type buildings scattered around town that are only open for these two weeks.
There are entire blocks that normally have two of these closed pavilions and the rest is open space. Today, they were open, with dozens of booths and hundreds of cars looking for parking. Remote parking lots were charging $20 a car. It is crowded, but I don't see how these pavilions can open for two or three weeks a year. I thought they were abandoned, but last month, they all got power-washed and fresh
paint trim.
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Sounds like a good target for theft.
Quote: billryanI didn't go into any shows, but there is a heavier-than-usual police presence. I'm unsure, but I don't think the gems are precious.
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A friend of mine is in the jewelry business and goes to lots of shows. He is very unassuming and looks nothing like the guy you would expect to have millions of dollars worth of product in his backpack. He looks more like an unkempt student with his book bag and is basically hiding in plain sight.
Quote: DRichQuote: billryanI didn't go into any shows, but there is a heavier-than-usual police presence. I'm unsure, but I don't think the gems are precious.
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A friend of mine is in the jewelry business and goes to lots of shows. He is very unassuming and looks nothing like the guy you would expect to have millions of dollars worth of product in his backpack. He looks more like an unkempt student with his book bag and is basically hiding in plain sight.
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I could be mistaken but I think this show is more about turquoise and that type of gem. There may be pavilions devoted to diamonds and the like, but in NYC, the diamonds industry is mostly Hasidic Jews, and I have not seen any in town.
Quote: billryanQuote: DRichQuote: billryanI didn't go into any shows, but there is a heavier-than-usual police presence. I'm unsure, but I don't think the gems are precious.
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A friend of mine is in the jewelry business and goes to lots of shows. He is very unassuming and looks nothing like the guy you would expect to have millions of dollars worth of product in his backpack. He looks more like an unkempt student with his book bag and is basically hiding in plain sight.
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I could be mistaken but I think this show is more about turquoise and that type of gem. There may be pavilions devoted to diamonds and the like, but in NYC, the diamonds industry is mostly Hasidic Jews, and I have not seen any in town.
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Native gems. I mean like local to the Southwest. Sounds like.
