One does gain a certain sense of freedom from not being tied to material things, but in my recent experience losing a cherished person has left me feeling more untethered, or lost, than free.

Major D,

Let’s hope that the fear of losing it does not in and of itself make money evil. As far as where the fear of being penniless fits on the totem pole of fears, I would say only below the biggest fear of all, that of death. Other than that, the absence of money implies no shelter, food, health care or transportation, barring the intervention of welfare, naturally.

That being said, I have long ceased to believe that money is the root of all evil. I think fear is the actual root of all evil and money is simply one of the most popular instruments used to help keep fear at bay.

But if you’re out of “toilet tissue” what good will polymer currency do?

It’s all politics and behind politics is money.

Their currency is no long paper, it’s polymer. Mexico also uses polymer for its currency. Only the U.S. still uses paper. Slower maybe be archaic, maybe retarded is more like it.

And for that matter, Kia99, it often seems that it takes an Act of Congress to get Congress to act.

Why do we allow ourselves to look like Canada’s slightly “slower” cousin?

Sometimes it seems like it takes an act of congress to get anything done around here!

Makes sense to me. Canada discontinued the denomination in 2012.