James Silverton wrote:
On 8/17/2011 5:06 AM, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:42:52 +0200, Johannes Kleese
wrote:

Does anyone know why Citi does not make chip-and-pin cards available
to US-based customers?

Rumors have it that people in the US still use cheques, like, on real
paper and such

It's a fact that they do in UK too; and that by popular demand the
abolishment of cheques has been postponed until 2019 at the earliest.

This reminds me that the topic of abolishing the dollar bill in the US
has arisen again with the repeated suggestion that the Treasury should do
as in Canada and abolish the bills. What is not recognized is that very
large number of Americans do not like coins at all and don't carry them
except for use in older parking meters. Quite often, any change gathered
during the day is deposited in a jar and periodically taken to the bank
for counting and deposit. I usually find that I deposit 30 or 40 dollars a month.

Personally, I prefer the dollar coins for a number of reasons. I just wish
more machones accepted them. Trying to use anything but a crisp fairly new
dollar bill(a tiny minority of dollar bills in circulation) in a macine of
any kind is a major exercise in frustration. One dollar coin is lighter and
more compact than four quarters, the obly reliable alternative.
Furthermore, from an economic point of view, if one is allowed to bring
that up, they so outlast the paper dollars that they cost less to produce.
Unfortunately, there are too many people like you refusing to use them.

--
Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad