We did order some Insulin for the frau from Canada. It was the same brand and made by the same company as what she gets locally. It came packaged in the same refrigeration box which was used when she got it via mail order, which made us think perhaps the mail order company actually got theirs from Canada too.
The price was claimed to be like 60% cheaper, but we shopped around locally and found it for a lower price, and with a certain prescription card, so we only saved about 25% buying from the store in Canada.
Also, the doc put up a fuss about writing a script that could be mailed with the order, he likes to just punch it into the computer to whatever local pharmacy we used. Also, after they got the script, they had to verify with him he wrote it. So there was a long delay getting the first order. The next three came right on schedule though.
I think what irks us more than anything else is we know people who get all of their Insulin and diabetic supplies totally free, and they make a whole lot more money than we do.
My wife's mother also got all of her meds covered by insurance and 100% of her doctors bills, no co-pays either. But then she bought her policies before the government began messing with them and adding limitations.
We had excellent insurance, but had to switch to Medicare and Supplimental, they wouldn't let us keep our existing insurance policies. Only folks born prior to 1930 could keep their existing insurance policies at a reduced rate.
One of the frau's Insulin types she can get from WalMart for 25 bucks a vial, when they have it, which isn't often anymore. Can't rely on them for much of anything lately. Pills I take they are almost always out of and never know when they will get more in. I switched my scripts to Walgreens, they always have my pills, but some are at a much higher price, and as always, not covered by drug insurance, or at such a high tier, might as well not have insurance at all.
Dematerialization and Capitalism
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
There are mail order houses which will sell you drugs without a script. While that sounds convenient, I'd hesitate to deal with a company that operates outside the law. Then there is the Dark Web where you can get anything you want. Thing about those shady places is you never know about the quality and the prices are not always discounted.
Most drug prices are not means tested. Wouldn't that be wonderful if the price you pay depended on your income? As it is now, you are at the mercy of the vendor and your insurance company. I don't know why they even sell drug insurance. Keeping in mind that they must make a profit to stay in business, you are paying in premiums what you could just as well pay OTC. Sometimes you even get a better deal OTC without insurance. Those insurance cards are convenient, but I have to wonder if they are actually saving me any money. They can't if the insurance people are operating legitimately.
If legislation is passed, and I doubt it can be, to lower the costs of drugs, some of the excess profits will be denied to the drug companies. We all think they are greedy bastards who gouge us poor saps who have no other choice but to pay or die. But, that's not always the case. They do have some huge hidden costs to recover over the long term, and the only way that can be done is by pricing their products high. So, if there is legislation passed to lower prices, that will lower profits for the drug companies. That, in turn, will put them out of business or make them hesitant to develop anything new and improved. If the Big Pharma folks actually do close their doors, then those foreign companies will suddenly realize a huge influx of new customers. All those new orders will, you guessed it, raise the prices. And then we will be back to square one. Of course it could work as the theory predicts and the drug vendors become more efficient at what they do to counteract the lower profits. When was the last time you saw competition lower any prices?
Most drug prices are not means tested. Wouldn't that be wonderful if the price you pay depended on your income? As it is now, you are at the mercy of the vendor and your insurance company. I don't know why they even sell drug insurance. Keeping in mind that they must make a profit to stay in business, you are paying in premiums what you could just as well pay OTC. Sometimes you even get a better deal OTC without insurance. Those insurance cards are convenient, but I have to wonder if they are actually saving me any money. They can't if the insurance people are operating legitimately.
If legislation is passed, and I doubt it can be, to lower the costs of drugs, some of the excess profits will be denied to the drug companies. We all think they are greedy bastards who gouge us poor saps who have no other choice but to pay or die. But, that's not always the case. They do have some huge hidden costs to recover over the long term, and the only way that can be done is by pricing their products high. So, if there is legislation passed to lower prices, that will lower profits for the drug companies. That, in turn, will put them out of business or make them hesitant to develop anything new and improved. If the Big Pharma folks actually do close their doors, then those foreign companies will suddenly realize a huge influx of new customers. All those new orders will, you guessed it, raise the prices. And then we will be back to square one. Of course it could work as the theory predicts and the drug vendors become more efficient at what they do to counteract the lower profits. When was the last time you saw competition lower any prices?
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
Where do I start?
NEW drugs are covered by Patent, this gives the drug companies 17 years to recoup their R&D investment by selling the product at a super high price.
After 17 years the patent expires and anyone can manufacture the product. Remanufacturers have no R&D to recoup, so they can sell for much less.
However, Big Pharma controls nearly every drug manufacturing process, which prevents remanufacturers from making the products and/or selling them at a much lower price.
Technically, this is called Price Fixing and what the government wants to put an end to in order to lower the price of drugs. It won't generate a lower price on drugs still under patent though.
Here is an example of one of the gimmicks used by drug companies.
Epinephrine patents expired many decades ago. It costs next to nothing to manufacture. A bottle of Epinephrine only sells for like 4 to 5 bucks. Trouble is, try finding a bottle anywhere.
Big Pharma has more or less bought out everyone who manufactures and packages Epinephrine in order to push the Epi-Pen.
The ONLY THING PATENTED about the Epi-Pen is the PEN ITSELF, not the drug inside of it.
It also costs next to nothing to make these dispenser pens. So why the enormous price for them?
There are many models of injector pens, most of which have expired patents.
But Big Pharma controls who can and who cannot make Epinephrine, and who can sell it in Pens.
Although each drug manufacturer is independent, they all still belong to the same Big Pharma Club, where they do insider trading and price fixing and stomp on anyone who tries to go around them.
Sorta like the way the Union Thugs handled things for decades.
A couple of the OTC drugs I need, if I buy the name brand, it could be anywhere from 15 to 20 dollars.
If I buy a store label brand, the price ranges from 10 to 14 dollars.
But if you can find a generic label, the price is super low, sometimes under a dollar, but always 4 dollars or under.
I pay 88 cents for Guafinasen and Citrizine when I can find it. Stores if they carry the lowest cost generic only stock perhaps 4 to 6 cartons or bottles. And naturally if someone sees them on the shelf, they take all of them.
I do that too, but usually leave 1 or 2 for someone else.
In the example of these two drugs, the price range is from 88 cents for generic up to 20 bucks for the name brand.
Like anything else, you are paying for the name, not the product under that label.
Here's another one. Why is 325 mg aspirin 500 in a bottle for 99 cents, while 81 mg aspirin is 30 in a bottle for $4.98 by the same company under the same trade label. Isn't that price gouging?
NEW drugs are covered by Patent, this gives the drug companies 17 years to recoup their R&D investment by selling the product at a super high price.
After 17 years the patent expires and anyone can manufacture the product. Remanufacturers have no R&D to recoup, so they can sell for much less.
However, Big Pharma controls nearly every drug manufacturing process, which prevents remanufacturers from making the products and/or selling them at a much lower price.
Technically, this is called Price Fixing and what the government wants to put an end to in order to lower the price of drugs. It won't generate a lower price on drugs still under patent though.
Here is an example of one of the gimmicks used by drug companies.
Epinephrine patents expired many decades ago. It costs next to nothing to manufacture. A bottle of Epinephrine only sells for like 4 to 5 bucks. Trouble is, try finding a bottle anywhere.
Big Pharma has more or less bought out everyone who manufactures and packages Epinephrine in order to push the Epi-Pen.
The ONLY THING PATENTED about the Epi-Pen is the PEN ITSELF, not the drug inside of it.
It also costs next to nothing to make these dispenser pens. So why the enormous price for them?
There are many models of injector pens, most of which have expired patents.
But Big Pharma controls who can and who cannot make Epinephrine, and who can sell it in Pens.
Although each drug manufacturer is independent, they all still belong to the same Big Pharma Club, where they do insider trading and price fixing and stomp on anyone who tries to go around them.
Sorta like the way the Union Thugs handled things for decades.
A couple of the OTC drugs I need, if I buy the name brand, it could be anywhere from 15 to 20 dollars.
If I buy a store label brand, the price ranges from 10 to 14 dollars.
But if you can find a generic label, the price is super low, sometimes under a dollar, but always 4 dollars or under.
I pay 88 cents for Guafinasen and Citrizine when I can find it. Stores if they carry the lowest cost generic only stock perhaps 4 to 6 cartons or bottles. And naturally if someone sees them on the shelf, they take all of them.
I do that too, but usually leave 1 or 2 for someone else.
In the example of these two drugs, the price range is from 88 cents for generic up to 20 bucks for the name brand.
Like anything else, you are paying for the name, not the product under that label.
Here's another one. Why is 325 mg aspirin 500 in a bottle for 99 cents, while 81 mg aspirin is 30 in a bottle for $4.98 by the same company under the same trade label. Isn't that price gouging?
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
I don't think the legislation I'm talking about is fully written yet. It's a proposal designed to appeal to us older citizens who might vote for the party pushing such legislation. This brings up the question of exactly what could they do to force Big Pharma to lower prices. Price fixing works both ways. You can't just pass a law that determines who can manufacture what and at what price it will be sold.
We've been over these grounds before and about all we can agree on is that the government is complicit in the pricing structure of drugs. This may or may not be fair, but the businesses in question need an incentive to stay in business. What they produce is critically important. The problem is the same as always. Concern for the everyday man is not part of the calculation. The bottom line for the corporation is all that matters.
I think what you are doing is about all that can be done. Buyer beware and constantly look for those bargains. The most powerful weapon we have is the vote we cast in November. Unfortunately it's not just a single congressman that is corrupt and subservient to the overlords of legal drugs. Your vote, and mine, are important. We just got to get a few million other folks to understand that. Then, there is also the problem of finding representatives who will truly represent us and not give into corporate demands.
I'll end this rant now ... and go take some drugs ...
We've been over these grounds before and about all we can agree on is that the government is complicit in the pricing structure of drugs. This may or may not be fair, but the businesses in question need an incentive to stay in business. What they produce is critically important. The problem is the same as always. Concern for the everyday man is not part of the calculation. The bottom line for the corporation is all that matters.
I think what you are doing is about all that can be done. Buyer beware and constantly look for those bargains. The most powerful weapon we have is the vote we cast in November. Unfortunately it's not just a single congressman that is corrupt and subservient to the overlords of legal drugs. Your vote, and mine, are important. We just got to get a few million other folks to understand that. Then, there is also the problem of finding representatives who will truly represent us and not give into corporate demands.
I'll end this rant now ... and go take some drugs ...
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
Even Big Pharma is having some of their drugs made overseas.
But I'm sure they have some type of anti-compete agreement built into the contracts.
I sent a letter to PL Developments, 200 Hicks Street, Westbury, NY 11590, after talking to them on the telephone for quite some time. They are open to questions and comments toll free 877/753-3935
On the phone they gave me the FDA search index which showed every product the distribute and approved by the FDA.
I was surprised the number of things they distribute, but they don't usually make them, and have several suppliers, sometimes even the name brand manufacturer is who supplies them. They do own several manufacturers also.
Although they have their own brand name, they are one of the biggest suppliers of store branded OTC drugs and pharmaceutical products.
There were several questions the gal on the phone could not answer and suggested I write a letter asking those questions, you never know, they might have a good answer for me. But she did say, we only do OTC products, so if it requires a script to get they won't have it, but the letter may prove they know where I could get scripts for a cheaper price.
I'm hoping anyhow!
But I'm sure they have some type of anti-compete agreement built into the contracts.
I sent a letter to PL Developments, 200 Hicks Street, Westbury, NY 11590, after talking to them on the telephone for quite some time. They are open to questions and comments toll free 877/753-3935
On the phone they gave me the FDA search index which showed every product the distribute and approved by the FDA.
I was surprised the number of things they distribute, but they don't usually make them, and have several suppliers, sometimes even the name brand manufacturer is who supplies them. They do own several manufacturers also.
Although they have their own brand name, they are one of the biggest suppliers of store branded OTC drugs and pharmaceutical products.
There were several questions the gal on the phone could not answer and suggested I write a letter asking those questions, you never know, they might have a good answer for me. But she did say, we only do OTC products, so if it requires a script to get they won't have it, but the letter may prove they know where I could get scripts for a cheaper price.
I'm hoping anyhow!
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
In spite of the faux patriotism of buying American, there are times when it makes sense to look outside of the box. As you point out, even drug companies do it. I wish I had an easy answer for you, but as of today I have not yet had the same kind of financial problems you are experiencing. I can buy both food and medications, but that's not to be interpreted that I don't mind getting ripped off. Missouri, as you must know, is big on helping the most unfortunate among us. They have a lot of charity drives and organizations looking after people in need. Here's one place that has an interesting program for prescription drugs: https://rxoutreach.org/ There must be some equivilant to a non-profit pharmacy in Tennessee. The PL Developments company you cited sounds like a broker. I guess that's what distributors are in essence. I think that in order to get any realistic discount you have to get into the supply chain ahead of the distributor. Unfortunately not many manufacturers will sell direct to individuals, but nearly all of them have some kind of assistance program that you might qualify for. Judging by the list you got, it could be a lot of research for little or no return. I'm guessing it would be worth the effort regardless.
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
I have two opposing stances on buying products, either at retail or in manufacturing.
My first stance is, we are all stuck on this big ball we call planet earth. So why discriminate against a fellow human simply because he lives in another place on the planet than you do. Are we all not equal.
My second stance has to do with safety of the products we buy. For this reason controls must be in place to ensure that safety. Therefore we should only buy products that have been tested and proven safe by our own testing and regulatory agencies.
Certain food items, and some minerals, are only available from certain areas on the planet. Individual countries must buy the products for their populace from those countries or do without.
There is really no problem with buying from anywhere in the world until politics comes into play.
They create all kinds of artificial problems that only exist in the political arena and they use banking as the scapegoat.
Every country in the world accepts gold or silver in exchange for goods and services.
However, politicians created Fiat Currency, printed paper with a perceived value.
At one time, there was gold and/or silver to back-up the paper currency, but not anymore. It is just paper now.
Shuffling this useless paper around with a perceived value placed on it is how they created what they call a Trade Deficit.
It's all totally a political move and nothing more, in an attempt to control the worldwide marketplace.
Sorta changing topics here:
My great-grandfather or maybe it was great-great-grandfather, lived during an era when each state had it's own money.
He kept a lot of different journals, some early notes from the 1860's talked about having bank notes from several different banks, just in case one went belly up. Somewhere around 1902 he quit using private bank notes and started keeping US Bank Notes. Private Missouri Bank notes were only spendable in Missouri, but could be exchanged for Illinois Bank notes when he needed to buy something from Illinois.
My own grandfather, shortly after incorporating the florist in 1913, began cashing in the US Bank Notes for Federal Reserve Notes, but still kept a few thousand dollars worth of US Bank Notes in his safe. After he died in 1954, those US Bank Notes were divided up to his children. Dad held onto his 400 dollars worth of US Bank Notes until around 1970 when he had to turn them in for Federal Reserve Notes or they would become worthless paper.
At one time, I had a safe deposit box filled with Red Seal $2.00 silver certificates. I don't remember the year we had to turn in silver certificates, but the government pulled a stunt which would make them worthless. Even so, I still kept about 20 of them, and then in the late 1990's sold them to collectors. Sorta wish I would have kept all of them, as the Red Seal became rare really fast, since all the rest after the Red Seal runs were printed with Green Seals.
FWIW: For the Bicentennial, in 1976 the City of Kirkwood issued 50 cent tokens to all the retailers to use as change for the customers. They could turn down the token since it wasn't legal tender, and only spendable in Kirkwood, and the only way to get them was as change when you bought something.
What the city had hoped would happen sorta backfired on them. They figured most folks would take a few to keep as souvenirs, as would out-of-town visitors to the celebration events.
I'm thinking you got a 50 cent token in place of a quarter in your change, but it was worth 50 cents if you spent it at any Kirkwood retailer. A few of the retailers gave you a dollar off if you used a 50 cent token, which is why I thought they all worked that way. It wasn't until I read an article in the newspaper about how much over what they expected the issuance of these tokens cost them. They had planned on making a huge profit because they figured more than half the local folks would keep them as souvenirs, and visitors would keep them as souvenirs of the event. All the tokens expired in two years, so that is when they did the tally of their massive loss, hi hi. Besides the cost of having the tokens made and distributed to the Retailers, the refunds to the retailers who accepted them as 50 cent was less than 5% under the number of tokens issued.
Since any company who made tokens could have easily duplicated them, at first they thought this might be what happened, except the company who made the tokens for them was smart enough to add something undisclosed to the tokens they made which they could check for.
Several rumors cropped up after the token maker verified all the coins turned into the city were in fact the ones they manufactured. Some say it was a small steel chip about the size of a pinhead in the metal. Others said it was something in the anodizing process that made them unique, and some thought it might be a micro-engraving mark. The company never disclosed how they make some of their tokens unique. But they do it to all tokens that are used in currency exchange to prevent counterfeit tokens from being used.
My first stance is, we are all stuck on this big ball we call planet earth. So why discriminate against a fellow human simply because he lives in another place on the planet than you do. Are we all not equal.
My second stance has to do with safety of the products we buy. For this reason controls must be in place to ensure that safety. Therefore we should only buy products that have been tested and proven safe by our own testing and regulatory agencies.
Certain food items, and some minerals, are only available from certain areas on the planet. Individual countries must buy the products for their populace from those countries or do without.
There is really no problem with buying from anywhere in the world until politics comes into play.
They create all kinds of artificial problems that only exist in the political arena and they use banking as the scapegoat.
Every country in the world accepts gold or silver in exchange for goods and services.
However, politicians created Fiat Currency, printed paper with a perceived value.
At one time, there was gold and/or silver to back-up the paper currency, but not anymore. It is just paper now.
Shuffling this useless paper around with a perceived value placed on it is how they created what they call a Trade Deficit.
It's all totally a political move and nothing more, in an attempt to control the worldwide marketplace.
Sorta changing topics here:
My great-grandfather or maybe it was great-great-grandfather, lived during an era when each state had it's own money.
He kept a lot of different journals, some early notes from the 1860's talked about having bank notes from several different banks, just in case one went belly up. Somewhere around 1902 he quit using private bank notes and started keeping US Bank Notes. Private Missouri Bank notes were only spendable in Missouri, but could be exchanged for Illinois Bank notes when he needed to buy something from Illinois.
My own grandfather, shortly after incorporating the florist in 1913, began cashing in the US Bank Notes for Federal Reserve Notes, but still kept a few thousand dollars worth of US Bank Notes in his safe. After he died in 1954, those US Bank Notes were divided up to his children. Dad held onto his 400 dollars worth of US Bank Notes until around 1970 when he had to turn them in for Federal Reserve Notes or they would become worthless paper.
At one time, I had a safe deposit box filled with Red Seal $2.00 silver certificates. I don't remember the year we had to turn in silver certificates, but the government pulled a stunt which would make them worthless. Even so, I still kept about 20 of them, and then in the late 1990's sold them to collectors. Sorta wish I would have kept all of them, as the Red Seal became rare really fast, since all the rest after the Red Seal runs were printed with Green Seals.
FWIW: For the Bicentennial, in 1976 the City of Kirkwood issued 50 cent tokens to all the retailers to use as change for the customers. They could turn down the token since it wasn't legal tender, and only spendable in Kirkwood, and the only way to get them was as change when you bought something.
What the city had hoped would happen sorta backfired on them. They figured most folks would take a few to keep as souvenirs, as would out-of-town visitors to the celebration events.
I'm thinking you got a 50 cent token in place of a quarter in your change, but it was worth 50 cents if you spent it at any Kirkwood retailer. A few of the retailers gave you a dollar off if you used a 50 cent token, which is why I thought they all worked that way. It wasn't until I read an article in the newspaper about how much over what they expected the issuance of these tokens cost them. They had planned on making a huge profit because they figured more than half the local folks would keep them as souvenirs, and visitors would keep them as souvenirs of the event. All the tokens expired in two years, so that is when they did the tally of their massive loss, hi hi. Besides the cost of having the tokens made and distributed to the Retailers, the refunds to the retailers who accepted them as 50 cent was less than 5% under the number of tokens issued.
Since any company who made tokens could have easily duplicated them, at first they thought this might be what happened, except the company who made the tokens for them was smart enough to add something undisclosed to the tokens they made which they could check for.
Several rumors cropped up after the token maker verified all the coins turned into the city were in fact the ones they manufactured. Some say it was a small steel chip about the size of a pinhead in the metal. Others said it was something in the anodizing process that made them unique, and some thought it might be a micro-engraving mark. The company never disclosed how they make some of their tokens unique. But they do it to all tokens that are used in currency exchange to prevent counterfeit tokens from being used.
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
There are still a lot of people ticked about going off the gold standard. The way I see it is that was a practical move made necessary by the success of world economics. It's true that an ounce of gold weighs just as much no matter where in the world you put it on a scale. But think about it. Apple Computer just purchased a piece of Intel for the mere sum of $1 Billion. Can you imagine this transaction taking place where 1 billion ounces of gold was being exchange to complete the deal? That is, if there are 1 billion ounces of gold to be had in the first place. The argument that gold has a stable value is shaky too. If this country takes a deep dive and the dollar becomes worthless, then a pound of gold will be worth as much as a pound of concrete. What would it matter how much metal you hold if there is nothing to buy or exchange for it? And, there is nothing complicated about the understanding of deficits. When you buy more than you sell, that is a deficit. It doesn't matter how it is paid for; dollars, gold, or concrete.
What worries me more than gold standards and deficits is places like Facebook inventing their own money. It's called Libra and commonly referred to as cryptocurrency. Given their track record with security and false advertising, what could go wrong with Facebook money? The answer is, EVERYTHING. Their newest brainchild isn't much different than what you told me about Kirkwood. The value of those Facebook dollars can and will be manipulated, and somebody is going to become very rich if they are allowed to pull off this scam. Too bad you don't have about 100 grand laying around to get in on the bottom floor. Farm Town and Mark Zukerberg would love you for it.
What worries me more than gold standards and deficits is places like Facebook inventing their own money. It's called Libra and commonly referred to as cryptocurrency. Given their track record with security and false advertising, what could go wrong with Facebook money? The answer is, EVERYTHING. Their newest brainchild isn't much different than what you told me about Kirkwood. The value of those Facebook dollars can and will be manipulated, and somebody is going to become very rich if they are allowed to pull off this scam. Too bad you don't have about 100 grand laying around to get in on the bottom floor. Farm Town and Mark Zukerberg would love you for it.
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
In the florist business, sending flower arrangements worldwide, we used the FTD currency known as Florins. Not to be confused with old English currency also called Florins.
By using Florins, we didn't have to worry about currency exchange rates to determine the price of a flower arrangement sent abroad. The books showing what FTD developed arrangements looked like, had the same Florin price everywhere.
FTD themselves handled the currency exchange rate for Florins. Interestingly enough, Florins were nearly equal to the US Dollar, but did fluctuate a little bit.
Florists had to turn in their paperwork for the amount of Florins credit to us, or spent by us, each and every month. Then FTD would send us a check, and or bill us if we were under, which was the usual case, since we sent out more orders than we got in.
BitCoin is an interesting concept, and many other like-kind companies have popped-up doing the same thing.
Although I did have some for awhile, I don't trust it one bit.
I did buy some Krugerrand's over the span of a few years, but ended up selling them all to cover hospital bills for the late frau.
As far a gold goes, most countries limit the amount of gold that can be mined and put into circulation.
They also banned the owning of gold for several years, other than jewelry up to a certain amount.
Even so, I know more than just a few people who own several pounds of gold.
Regardless of what happens with US currency, I don't think gold will go unstable, since it is the base trade medium everywhere, followed by Silver.
Our Fiat currency is only paper with nothing to back it up. It's just a number on a sheet of paper, and its buying power can fluctuate drastically. And does, a paper dollar buys a little less each year as inflation climbs.
Confederates who held onto gold instead of the paper currency recovered quickly when the paper money became useless.
By using Florins, we didn't have to worry about currency exchange rates to determine the price of a flower arrangement sent abroad. The books showing what FTD developed arrangements looked like, had the same Florin price everywhere.
FTD themselves handled the currency exchange rate for Florins. Interestingly enough, Florins were nearly equal to the US Dollar, but did fluctuate a little bit.
Florists had to turn in their paperwork for the amount of Florins credit to us, or spent by us, each and every month. Then FTD would send us a check, and or bill us if we were under, which was the usual case, since we sent out more orders than we got in.
BitCoin is an interesting concept, and many other like-kind companies have popped-up doing the same thing.
Although I did have some for awhile, I don't trust it one bit.
I did buy some Krugerrand's over the span of a few years, but ended up selling them all to cover hospital bills for the late frau.
As far a gold goes, most countries limit the amount of gold that can be mined and put into circulation.
They also banned the owning of gold for several years, other than jewelry up to a certain amount.
Even so, I know more than just a few people who own several pounds of gold.
Regardless of what happens with US currency, I don't think gold will go unstable, since it is the base trade medium everywhere, followed by Silver.
Our Fiat currency is only paper with nothing to back it up. It's just a number on a sheet of paper, and its buying power can fluctuate drastically. And does, a paper dollar buys a little less each year as inflation climbs.
Confederates who held onto gold instead of the paper currency recovered quickly when the paper money became useless.
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
I never heard about FTD using the Florin for trade purposes. That actually sounds like a great idea for international business. While it would be nice if all currencies were backed by gold, it's not practical. Our dollar is backed by the performance of our economy which explains why people get nervous about deficits.
Re: Dematerialization and Capitalism
The customers who order flowers would have no idea we convert the price from US Dollars to Florins to send the order.
Even if they look through the catalog, the wouldn't know what the Fnumbers stood for, and in most cases, we have price stickers showing the Dollar cost on the pages.
Most florists added 5 to 10% to the cost price they showed in the book due to the fluctuations in the value of a Florin by the end of the month when we handled the exchange with FTD. FTD would get after us if we didn't stay within their allowed parameters.
Even if they look through the catalog, the wouldn't know what the Fnumbers stood for, and in most cases, we have price stickers showing the Dollar cost on the pages.
Most florists added 5 to 10% to the cost price they showed in the book due to the fluctuations in the value of a Florin by the end of the month when we handled the exchange with FTD. FTD would get after us if we didn't stay within their allowed parameters.