The Barrelhead Is Gone

[Ed Hurst]

No more "cash on the barrelhead." My beloved just handed me some cash to carry in my wallet (I tend not to use ATMs). After a moment's thought, I realized there are darn few places I can spend it. Most self-checkouts don't take or give cash, and most stores where I shop won't return loose change around here. It's getting surreal.

[IainH]

No more "cash on the barrelhead." My beloved just handed me some cash to carry in my wallet (I tend not to use ATMs). After a moment's thought, I realized there are darn few places I can spend it. Most self-checkouts don't take or give cash, and most stores where I shop won't return loose change around here. It's getting surreal.

Yeah, I know. I'm still using cash. According to Federal law, the dollar is legal tender, good for all transactions. Sometimes, when I'm in a big box store, I have to ask an associate "which one of these damn machines takes cash?" I don't wear the mask and that usually gets employees moving by itself. In our Governor's edicts, there are exemptions which, I believe, are there as a light coating of legality so, that they can claim "it's not a mandate". I can claim the exemption without giving a reason other than "I can't wear masks". If I'm ever asked why I will say "they make me smother". "Smothering" is a genuine Southern ailment recognized by all within our culture and instantly stirs up the real bless your heart compassion, not the snarky bless your heart as used by New South idiots. 
  We are in a life or death struggle to preserve and protect our remaining liberties not, that they are sacred in themselves but because; freedom of assembly, freedom from Government interference in religion and the freedom to secure those rights by force of arms are tools that enable us to spread our message and therefore are worth defending. Losing those rights will not stop the spread of God's message, it just means doing it from inside the Gulag. I'm gonna stop before I take a fall down the rabbit hole. 
   The important thing is, over on the Radix Fidem blog this morning, I read a message that gave me back my hope. I had grown weary of trying to reach people in the church, in fact I've come to the conclusion that, Evangelicals are out of reach which, is too bad because I know some who would be great additions but, I realize that, that was my ego. With "heatherns" it's easier because they are not drenched in Churchthink. They talk about Political Correctness but, Evangelical Correctness is even more restrictive. Heatherns don't care when I fall into white trash cussing. I try to be creative but, I will never be the master that my wife's uncle Byron was, he was a trucker  and could curse with great creative eloquence. Enough, another rabbit hole. 
  I know the heart led way is true but, I also know that the heart is not pure and everything I get from mine must be rigorously vetted, it is no sin to doubt or ask God for verification. I have been certain that "person A" is someone that God has placed in my path and then seen eyes cloud over at the mention of Scripture. It was a bummer but, then I realized that they were "training tools". The ability to sense what's in another person's heart is not a "power" it's a tool when, it comes down to it I have a little knowledge that the schlubs next to me don't and that's it. I do believe I mustn't grow weary at failure, some day I will come across someone who gets it and just needs a little guidance like, I have received from y'all. 
  I should be working right now but, the kitchen was closed because one of the second shift 20somethings tested positive for BS19 virus and I can't return until I'm tested. The bad news is, it's actually quite difficult to schedule a test through CVS as required by my employer so, my wife is using her connections to try to get one faster. I could write an entire post on connections which, I prefer to call "associations" mmm...perhaps I will and y'all can critique it so that I can hone my writing (lack of) skills. 
  The good news is that barter is the new dollar,  I made an agreement with a fellow to help me clear the crap from behind my house and then to be my 3rd arm while erecting my building in exchange for my old CRV. The boy's Mama needs a small SUV and  I can't help but like a fellow who does right by his Mama.  On the surface he doesn't seem to have a lot of potential but, neither did I. Boy, oh boy, I am the absolute worst, y'all only know the tip of how utterly depraved I am but, still, I'm here. "Human perception need not apply". 
  God's ways are inscrutable to mere humans. His ways do not add up, to human intellect they are arbitrary and without reason. Brother Ed, thank you for "The Driving Assurance" 

Totally unrelated 
Politicians Creed " As not, what your country can do for you, ask what can you do for me"

Sorry for all the quotation marks.

[Ed Hurst]

Welcome, Bro. It's my calling and I'm grateful that someone else can use it.

[jaybreak]

No more "cash on the barrelhead." My beloved just handed me some cash to carry in my wallet (I tend not to use ATMs). After a moment's thought, I realized there are darn few places I can spend it. Most self-checkouts don't take or give cash, and most stores where I shop won't return loose change around here. It's getting surreal.

Had to look up "cash on the barrelhead"'--never the saying before, but it's another one I can add to the lexicon, if I can remember it.

Not so funny story from the springtime, I think. It used to be the case that stores couldn't legally require a minimum for credit card purchases. At one of the local minigolf/ice cream places (not sure if those are universal to America but in the northeast/Atlantic coastal regions, they are common), there was a $5 minimum when I was trying to buy an ice cream for the son, after we played a round of golf (which I won, of course). That was overturned with Dodd-Frank in 2010...so I was 9/10 years in the dark about that. Most stores might not have the minimum, or I coincidentally always meet the minimum requirements so it's never an issue. I rarely use cash, even though I make sure to pay the credit card balance each month.

[Ed Hurst]

The issue with minimum charge is that the handling charges for debit and credit cards cost the merchant. The amounts varied, but it meant someone selling something for $1 would lose their profit margin, or worse, if you paid by card. However, more and more of the larger stores are able to absorb that loss, while the smaller businesses can't. Removing cash exchanges by any means will kill the small business, and that's on purpose, along with all the other things the big guys do to wipe out the competition.

[jaybreak]

The issue with minimum charge is that the handling charges for debit and credit cards cost the merchant. The amounts varied, but it meant someone selling something for $1 would lose their profit margin, or worse, if you paid by card. However, more and more of the larger stores are able to absorb that loss, while the smaller businesses can't. Removing cash exchanges by any means will kill the small business, and that's on purpose, along with all the other things the big guys do to wipe out the competition.

That's what threw me off, because I hadn't encountered the minimum in a long time. The last time was way before Frank-Dodd, and it was illegal to require the minimum. I rarely use cash so I didn't have anything with me.

Corporatism as its "finest."

[forrealone]

Huh. No problem here with using cash at all. I always tell them to just keep the change, though. Since, after all, the mint has to social distance the "minters", i guess production is down. BS! We all have change. Aint no way coins have disappeared.

Anyway, my two cents. Hmmm..... i probably have two in my piggy bank. Ha ha