Tuesday 8 January 2013

Keep the change


I am not making this up.

In order to (temporarily) stop the entire United States of America from going over the fiscal cliff, the US equivalent of our Royal Mint is going to strike one, single coin with the value of $1 Trillion.

That's 1000 billion dollars - in one, small coin. 

Someone will then take it to an institution somewhere and drop it in a piggy bank, thereby fulfilling America's commitment  to pay off a percentage of the National Debt by a certain time scale.

Now what I am wondering is, will they save a bit of money by not transporting it in an armoured vehicle surrounded by armed outriders at night, and just send the boy down to the bank with it in his pocket on his own?

Even if you knew what this boy was carrying, what good would it do to rob him?

You could try going into Starbucks, ordering a coffee and handing it over, but I don't think they would have enough of a float to give you the change, and might get suspicious if you accepted a few thousand dollars instead.

I wonder of they are going to mint a few more for collectors?

19 comments:

  1. Hey, what's a measly trillion. No big deal! That is only part of our debt. Two wars and a few drones here and there don't come cheap.

    By the long lines I see at Starbucks, don't count them out in not having change.

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    1. I don't get out of bed for less than 3 trill these days.

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  2. Does this plan sound completely nuts to anyone else? Then again, I've not been too impressed with many of the plans coming from our government lately.
    I'm sure they all met at a bar, consumed vast amounts of alcohol and came up with this hair brained scheme.
    Lord help us all.......

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    1. Maybe I am completely mad, but I do admit that I see a sort of logic to it. If I could mint my own money, there would be a lot of very pissed-off shareholders out there.

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  3. Dear Tom,
    nothing new under the sun: "The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe said the new notes that includes 50 trillion, 20 trillion and 10 trillion would be released for the "convenience of the public," according to statement released Thursday." In 2009 they created a 100 trillion note, if I understood it right.
    PS: The Starbuck reminds me of the short Story: The £1,000,000 Bank-Note by Mark Twain.

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    1. At least you can buy a loaf of bread with a wheel-barrow full of money in Zimbabwe... can't you?

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  4. Bring back the truppeny bit, that's what I say

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    1. I've got loads. Fourpence each to you.

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    2. I want to fill my next Christmas pudin

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    3. Not with brass you don't (bras maybe - oo-err missus) - stick to solid silver.

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  5. Thus the reason we cashed in all our retirement funds and sunk them into the farm. At least when we go over the cliff we'll have a few good steak dinners we can look forward to. Yes, you are all welcome to attend our final farm picnic. BYOB

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    1. And if I'm late for the picnic? BYOCattle?! Don't worry, Donna - your friendly rednecks will get their own way in the long-horn - they always do!

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  6. Why didn't I come up with this myself? I will draw a picture of my own creatively inspired money, send it to our mortgage company, and this shack be ours!!

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    1. In this country, if you hide in a patch of public park for 7 years (as someone did recently) it becomes yours, even if it is in Central London. Of course, you may be killed by MOSSAD quite quickly, but them's the breaks.

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  7. The coin must also be minted in platinum -- and apparently for any amount the President wishes! Or Congress could just agree to raise the debt ceiling or get rid of it altogether!

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  8. I immediately thought of the same story as Brigitta...
    http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/MilPou.shtml

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  9. One trillion; that's nothing! I've just drawn a 10 trillion $ note that I will deposit in the bog.

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