Idea to eliminate high denomination banknotes in Norway

On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 22:11:05 -0400, "Bruce Remick"
wrote:



I never use hundred dollar bills to go shopping. First, I'd have to go to a
bank just to get some. Waste of gas nowadays. Second, I simply prefer to
write
a check or use a credit card for higher dollar purchases. Both cost me
nothing
because my checking acct is free and I zero out any charges on my next
statement. In over forty years of doing this, I've never had a problem with
evil high schoolers, foreign hackers, identity thieves, etc., but I have been
robbed of my cash several times.

Fine. No one's _forcing_ you to use cash. And this is really point of
the thread: people are being _forced_ into using one option only. By
their government.


Explanation acknowledged. I certainly don't agree with the radical logic for
essentially eliminating all paper money in the original article. I also didn't
realize there was so much drug trafficking, gambling, and blackmail in Norway.

Nor I. Sounds like they need to work on that problem, rather than
limiting the freedoms of law abiding Norwegians.

But then I've only seen Norway as a business/tourist.

Alas, I've never been there except in the pages of old sagas!

And there was some kind
of brewery strike at the time, making my visit all the more sobering.

(:

Padraic.


Bruce


la cieurgeourea provoer mal trasfu
ast meiyoer ke 'l andrext ben trasfu.

Cash is the goal and medium for everything from drug trafficking, to
gambling to blackmail, Woxholt said...

nothing like the government punishing everyone for the actions of a
few. i wonder if these people are the folks behind the "security"
frisking when you leave major chain retail stores ...

Padraic Brown wrote:

Cultural difference. Most Americans would be horrified at the notion
of government making life more difficult. Woxholt represents
everything America isn't, summed up in two sentences: "You (Norwegian
people) are incapable and undeserving of personal liberty. We
(Norwegian government) shall make sure you have none." What an ass
indeed!

Gee, I had no idea that it is some Norwegians who are responsible for
the recent restrictions of personal liberty in the US g. That may also
explain how a "Business Security Council" in Norway has magically turned
into the "Norwegian government" ...

Basically I agree - eliminating such a high (well, medium ...) value
note does not prevent crimes that a few people use such notes for.
However, not everything that some organization suggests in the name of
fighting against drug trafficking, terrorism, etc. does automatically
become law. Not in America, and not in Europe either.

Christian

On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 11:38:18 +0200, lid (Christian
Feldhaus) wrote:

Padraic Brown wrote:

Cultural difference. Most Americans would be horrified at the notion
of government making life more difficult. Woxholt represents
everything America isn't, summed up in two sentences: "You (Norwegian
people) are incapable and undeserving of personal liberty. We
(Norwegian government) shall make sure you have none." What an ass
indeed!

Gee, I had no idea that it is some Norwegians who are responsible for
the recent restrictions of personal liberty in the US g.

Um -- I think there's some misunderstanding here?

Padraic.

la cieurgeourea provoer mal trasfu
ast meiyoer ke 'l andrext ben trasfu.

Padraic Brown wrote:

Um -- I think there's some misunderstanding here?

Indeed. Contrary to what you wrote, this Norwegian Business Security
Council (NSR) is not "the government".

Actually I tried to point at two different things in one short reply.
Maybe that wasn't such a good idea g. First, the personal liberty of
citizens and non-citizens has been limited in democratic socities in
America and Europe (and elsewhere) in the recent past. So suggesting
"security measures" that a few years ago would have been rejected tout
de suite falls on more fertile ground these days. Certainly not just on
this side of the Pond. However, even an influential association (Mr
Woxholt works for the Oslo police dept. AFAIK) does not make the law in
Norway ...

Christian

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 12:34:08 +0200, lid (Christian
Feldhaus) wrote:

Padraic Brown wrote:

I had no idea that it is some Norwegians who are responsible for
the recent restrictions of personal liberty in the US

Um -- I think there's some misunderstanding here?

Indeed. Contrary to what you wrote, this Norwegian Business Security
Council (NSR) is not "the government".

What does this have to do with personal liberties in the US?

Actually I tried to point at two different things in one short reply.

Thank you for clarifying that it is not the "Norwegian governemnt" --
the fact remains that Norwegian liberties would be curtailed.

Padraic.

la cieurgeourea provoer mal trasfu
ast meiyoer ke 'l andrext ben trasfu.

Padraic Brown wrote:

What does this have to do with personal liberties in the US?

From your message that I replied to:
| Most Americans would be horrified at the notion of government making
| life more difficult. Woxholt represents everything America isn't,
| summed up in two sentences: "You (Norwegian people) are incapable and
| undeserving of personal liberty. We (Norwegian government) shall make
| sure you have none."

That sounded very much like "restriction of personal liberties is
something that happens elsewhere, not in the US". Hence my
tongue-in-cheek remark about Norwegians being responsible for
restrictions of personal liberty in the US, e.g. when it comes to
fighting terrorism or organized crime.

(Now which restrictions are necessary these days, and which will rather
defeat the purpose of protecting a democratic society, is an issue that
is currently debated in many countries. These two groups are IMO not the
right place for such a debate; I just find it surprising when people
believe their country is exempt from it.)

Thank you for clarifying that it is not the "Norwegian governemnt" --
the fact remains that Norwegian liberties would be curtailed.

True. Heh, they could use 500 euro notes instead - over here hardly
anybody needs them g.

Christian

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 10:16:58 +0200, lid (Christian
Feldhaus) wrote:

Padraic Brown wrote:

What does this have to do with personal liberties in the US?

From your message that I replied to:
| Most Americans would be horrified at the notion of government making
| life more difficult. Woxholt represents everything America isn't,
| summed up in two sentences: "You (Norwegian people) are incapable and
| undeserving of personal liberty. We (Norwegian government) shall make
| sure you have none."

That sounded very much like "restriction of personal liberties is
something that happens elsewhere, not in the US".

Um, no. It happens here too! (And is just as unamerican!)

The rest is, by in large, agreed.

Padraic.

la cieurgeourea provoer mal trasfu
ast meiyoer ke 'l andrext ben trasfu.