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Regarding that, "legal tender" isn't really what people think it is, people read in what isn't meant to be there. Legal tender really only means that it's money backed by the government, not that people and companies are required by law to take it.

http://treasury.gov/education/faq/currency/legal-tender.shtml

Answer The pertinent portion of law that applies to your question is the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.

Emphasis is mine.

Hasn't every president for about a hundred years gone everywhere with a realtime tracking system?

Your risk-free rate of return is pretty close to zero right now, and not guaranteed to exceed inflation:

http://www.treasury.gov/offices/domestic-finance/debt-management/interest-rate/yield.shtml

Also consider that a large amount of the cost of putting in solar is the installation cost. Assuming that solar panels in the future can use the same installation, replacing them will be far cheaper than the initial installation- and I don't know about you, but I don't see tradesman labor prices decreasing anytime soon.

How do you value not having to worry about blackouts? In a proper model you would also have to account for the amount of carbon *not* being produced (which is actually quite simple considering carbon credits have an actual market value).

So yeah, you are right, ROI is a bit more complicated, but before you get on your high horse, at least dot your i's and cross your t's. Models make assumptions about the future as well, which may not be correct.

"The case arose from a Chicago grand jury's investigation into who told the two reporters, Judith Miller and Philip Shenon, about actions the government was planning to take against two Islamic charities, Holy Land Foundation in Texas and Global Relief Foundation in Illinois. Though the government contended that calls from the reporters tipped off the charities to impending raids and asset seizures, the investigation appears to be focused on identifying the reporters' sources. No testimony has been sought from the reporters, and there has been no indication that their actions are a subject of the investigation."

and you wouldn't find stories like this one

That decision seems to have been reversed.

As the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve derives its authority from the U.S. Congress. It is considered an independent central bank because its decisions do not have to be ratified by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branch of government, it does not receive funding appropriated by the Congress, and the terms of the members of the Board of Governors span multiple presidential and congressional terms. However, the Federal Reserve is subject to oversight by the Congress, which periodically reviews its activities and can alter its responsibilities by statute. Also, the Federal Reserve must work within the framework of the overall objectives of economic and financial policy established by the government. Therefore, the Federal Reserve can be more accurately described as "independent within the government."

It is perfectly legal for someone to refuse to accept any specific form of payment. Try to pay cash at amazon.com. Try to pay cash for your rent. Try to pay cash at some furniture stores.

Legal tender does not mean you are required to accept it. It only means the U.S. Government is required to recognize it as having value.

There is plenty of case law supporting the right of people or companies to refuse cash as payment.

And the U.S. Goverment says so too.

AI [Ansar al Islam] is a terrorist group operating in northeastern Iraq with close links to and support from al-Qa?ida. Al-Qa?ida and Usama bin Laden participated in the formation and funding of Ansar al-Islam, and AI has provided safe haven to al-Qa?ida in northeastern Iraq. AI?s predecessor, Jund al-Islam, was formed in September 2001. AI came into being with the ?blessing? of bin Laden after its leaders visited al-Qa?ida in Afghanistan in 2000 and 2001. Bin Laden provided AI with an estimated $300,000 to $600,000 in seed money.

Its unfortunate that so many people value pieces of paper with writing on them.