Welcome to General Chat - GAW Community Area
This General Chat area started off as a place for people to talk about things that are off topic, however it has quickly evolved into a community and has become an integral part of the GAW experience for many of us.
Based on its evolving needs and plenty of user feedback, we are trying to bring some order and institute some rules. Please make sure you read these rules and participate in the spirit of this community.
Rules for General Chat
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Be respectful to each other. This is of utmost importance, and comments may be removed if deemed not respectful.
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Avoid long drawn out arguments. This should be a place to relax, not to waste your time needlessly.
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Personal anecdotes, puzzles, cute pics/clips - everything welcome
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Please do not spam at the top level. If you have a lot to post each day, try and post them all together in one top level comment
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Try keep things light. If you are bringing in deep stuff, try not to go overboard.
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Things that are clearly on-topic for this board should be posted as a separate post and not here (except if you are new and still getting the feel of this place)
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If you find people violating these rules, deport them rather than start a argument here.
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Feel free to give feedback as these rules are expected to keep evoloving
In short, imagine this thread to be a local community hall where we all gather and chat daily. Please be respectful to others in the same way
CASHLESS SOCIETY. Frens, I live in Rand McNally.🪃 Since Covid, almost every retailer wants tap and go. (Cashless). I insist on cash! I have had dirty looks, and blatant frustration aimed toward me simply because I’m using cash. I love handing $5.25 in coins to the drive through people for my morning coffee. Especially when they poke the cattle prod ‘tap payment’ stick in my car window. I have even had to leave premises because I wanted to pay with money and they didn’t have change. Now the STATISTICS in rand mcnally will tell you that cash payments are diminishing, and by their thinking, cash is outdated. Those stats are probably true. But they don’t take into account how many local banks have closed, and how many ATM machines charge you up to $3.50 to take your own money out. ( many are limited to $200. So, if you want to withdraw say $300, that will cost you $7.00). OF YOUR OWN MONEY!
But my real question is this… if we do happen to turn into a cashless society, WOULD WE REALLY NEED BANKS? perhaps the answer to this question is the solution to this problem. NO CASH, NO BANKS. It could stop cashless in its tracks. Because government and banks are friends.
In the USA you've got one dollar bills. Dollar coins would be more practical, but instead you've got paper money for such a small amount. Plus American coins are so PUNY. Seriously, they are so weird and pathetic when you aren't used to them. Dimes are so tiny. Having to deal with inconvenient dollar bills and such is going to make "tap and go" far more appealing. I don't know what it's like in America anymore because I haven't been there in so many years, but here in Japan we have money cards that are very useful for transit. Instead of fumbling for your wallet to buy a train ticket, just swipe your Suica card at the gate and ride. You won't have to fumble for change from the ticket vending machine either. They are useful at convenience stores too. But they are cash, and you need cash to charge them. Plus, you can only charge them up to the equivalent of a couple hundred dollars maximum. These cards are not tied to one's bank account, so I do not think this is the same as the draconian "digital currency" we're being warned about.