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Space Money Invented For Space Tourists
An anonymous reader writes "The foreign exchange company Travelex has invented a unit of currency designed to be used in space commerce, the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination (QUID). The QUID is made of a space-qualified plastic, with round edges to prevent injuries in zero gravity. One QUID is equivalent to about 6.25 pounds, 12.50 dollars or 8.68 Euros. Of course, space currencies are already a staple of science fiction, with 'credits' being the most popular."
Solution: Problem, where are you?
"I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability."-Oscar Wilde
One QUID is equivalent to about 6.25 pounds
So it's 6 quid per QUID? That sounds confusing.
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
Everyone knows the only true space money is the Interstellar Kredit. Go go ISK!
Paper's flammable (or at least, easier to light than plastic).
My question is: how do you fight counterfeiters with plastic money? Seems like it would be relatively easy to fake, compared to metal or newer paper currencies?
The meek may inherit the earth, but the strong shall take the stars.
The presence of currency means the scarcity problem hasn't been solved by the civilisation, which means they are poor primitives not worth the bother of Contacting.
And they probably don't have cool matching jumpsuits, either.
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
That's one of his many errors, to my knowledge, I've yet to see a coin with a sharp edge. At least, not in the US.
What kind of crack is the guy who said coins have sharp edges smoking? Or is their some country where they do have sharp-edged coins.
Another? Oh, as for credit. There are these things called "bar codes" - believe it or not, they are not magnetic!
34486853790
Connection too slow for X forwarding? Try "ssh -CX user@host"
My question is: how do you fight counterfeiters with plastic money? Seems like it would be relatively easy to fake, compared to metal or newer paper currencies?
Just wait. In a few months, there will be an article about how there are RFIDs in each QUID and the Slashbots will go apeshit.
I sold some slaves to the Lesti system not too long ago for 98.2 credits per tonne. I'm now rated as a fugative and your QUIDs are worthless to me since they're only good in the Sol system.
Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
So, in other words...
1) Solve scarcity
2) ???
3) Not profit?
I'm unsettled by this. Excuse me while go have my lobes stroked.
More Twoson than Cupertino
I'll wager 15 quatloos that that QUID will never fly.
"He's lost in a 'floyd hole"
In fact there are three freely convertible currencies in the Galaxy, but none of them count. The Altarian Dollar has recently collapsed, the Flainian Pobble Bead is only exchangeable for other Flainian Pobble Beads, and the Triganic Pu has its own very special problems. It exchange rate of eight Ningis to one Pu is simple enough, but since Ningi is a triangular rubber coin six thousand eight hundred miles along each side, no one has ever collected enough to own one Pu. Nigis are not negotiable currency, because Galactibanks refuse to deal in fiddling small change. From this basic premise it is very simple to prove that the Galactibanks are also the product of a deranged imagination.
-metric
the main problem with the space wire transfers is that every three to four days the wires get all wound up around the equator and if someone forgets to unwind and untangle them and fling the slack back out sometimes they'll even yank out the other end at the space stations. But there's another invention in the pipe called "space wireless" that'll help alot, traffic congestion can be avoided as long as everyone remembers to not just leave the defaults at "space lynksys" and "galactic channel 6".
Can we remove the tagging system? Or moderate the people who put the idiotic tags?
"Thanks for all the money you paid to us. We've used it to buy off ISO among other things" -Microsoft
>>Why not "credit"?!?
Because it isn't a cool acronym. Cool acronyms always make things cooler. Just look at what "AJAX" did for - uh, AJAX.
Easily remedied though:
CALCULATED
RATE of
EXCHANGE
DENOMINATION for
INTERPLANETARY
TRAVELERS
There - CREDIT. That oughtta just about do it. Lot better than QUID, to be sure...
Psh. I was hoping we could exchange goods and services with things like youtube external links, myspace mass friend invites and wikipedia article additions...
While I'm at it:
Spacesuits: $1,200 each.
Oxygen recharge: $3.22 per gallon.
Farting in your space suit while you and your cheap-ass buddy share an airtank; priceless.
There's somethings your national currency can't buy. For everything else, there's QUIDS.
Ginga no Rekshiya Mata Each page.
They took the time to design a new monetary format and didn't even make it based on a Balanced Ternary system. Balanced ternary cash would be quite nice, it would mean almost always having the exact change, you only need one coin of each denomination to ensure you can make change for any possible transaction among other nice qualities.
http://notanumber.net/
Coins also are conductive, which could short out electronics if they float into a panel being serviced. They're also more likely to do damage if left floating when the vessel undergoes sudden acceleration whereas plastic can deform more readily.
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
A science fiction term needs the word "space" somewhere in there.
What about "Space Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination"?
No kidding. It's only a matter of time before there are free trips to space -- with an (even more) expensive return ticket in addition to all of the nickel and dime (QUID?) expenses along the way. I bet an "I went to outer space and all I got was this T-shirt" novelty tee would get a cool million.
"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." - Shepard Book Quoting Malcolm Reynolds
Actually, why do we need physical money in space at all anyway? Why not just have it be all electronic? Wouldn't this be the true space age, and we're still going to be relying on physical currency? It seems like having your money float away would be more of a problem in 0G than getting cut from sharp edges.
Many countries actually use plastic money. I'm pretty sure it's harder to counterfeit than traditional paper money.
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
Dear Sir:
Greetings from the Highest General of the Counsel of Intergalactic Planetary Commerce Exchange. I am Sir Zaphod Centauri, esteemed chairman of the Counsel of Planets. I have a business proposal for you that may be of most benefit to both of us. Forgive me for contacting you over subspace, but Colonel Zimrohn expressed you will be reliable, and I ask you to hold this in utmost confidence.
On Stardate 92714.3, the King of the United Saturnalia perished unexpectedly in a teleportation tragedy. He left in our accounts sum of NINETY-TWO TRILLION SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHT BILLION Quasi Universal Intergalactic Demoniations (QUID) which can not be accessed except by a native of the Milky Way. As of now this money sits unclaimed in our starbank.
I would like you to act as Earth fiduciary for this money. Please send your STARBANK number via encrypted link to me so that I may transfer this QUID to you. As agent for this transaction you will receive 10% of QUID in your account.
Please contact me at your most urgent communication, only over encrypted subspace link.
Yours sincerely,
Zaphod Centauri
Slashdotter, ID #101. UIDs are in binary, right?
This is to "reward" the shoddy customer service I sometimes get at the checkout lane.
It has the added benefit of putting the offending cashier on disability for a while, so that I don't have to deal with them again for a few weeks until they heal.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai