ENDANGERED SPECIES
Our unit is called the “dollar” and it ain't what it used to be.
It has been a trustworthy standard for several hundreds of years now and has served us well and been a useful guide and protector for money systems in other lands, as well.
The values of currency, of course, vary all over the world and may be related to all sorts of conditions both man made and otherwise. The devastating tsunami flood conditions which are this very morning killing thousands of people in six different nations around or in the Indian Ocean, is a prime example of the extreme conditions in which a money system must adjust itself. There are times when even the best of money systems will be dependent on others.
The death statistics are,of course, far from being complete and shows about 44,600 dead at the moment. The figure will climb and so will the millions of dollars worth of property damage in the stricken areas climb to new totals for the stricken areas. I International aid programs are all ready in action, and radical changes can be expected in money markets around the world because of this sudden, extreme pressure.
That care has part of our system since it was started and it has worked well. Some adjustments have been required during times of recession, depression war and economic doldrums. The unit has even changed in physical appearance and is currently much more colorful, about two-thirds the size it was when I was a youngster ear earning my first dollars.
It has held the international spotlight for many years, but there have been times when others dominated the world's markets ...the British “pound”, for instance. France's “franc” and monies from Spain, Holland, Portugal, Greece and Rome. Each has held sway for many years in various areas and coins of China, Japan, Egypt and many other nations as well. Prior to time on the start of our dollar system we used a polyglot collection of coins from other lands.. .mainly n English, Spanish, French and Dutch.
Why do I say it is being “threatened”...“endangered”?
By the manner in which it is currently being used.
More and more the American worker is being paid - not with bills and coin - but electronically by the transfer funds from the employer's account to that of the worker. The worker, then, in paying his bills, hands the merchant or service attendant a plastic card which enables him to receive another transfer of such funds as are needed to settle his account. No one touches printed dollar bills of minted coins.
They are of use in machines which accept dollars bills of coins in exchange for products or services. The Treasury Department doesn't print anything higher than one hundred dollars. Counterfeiters can do better faking credit cards than paper money and coins.
Think about it. Other than for coin operated machines, door-to- door sales persons, Salvation Army bell ringer's pots and church collection plates, how often do you actually handle “real” money?
A.L.M. December 28, 2004 [c517wds]
