Money matters

Well friends, I appreciate your patience. While the move continues apace, (along with the drain on my wallet) and it doesn't ever seem to end. The movers came, I got my car checked out -thankfully that mysterious black rubber belt thing won't break on the road now- and my replacement is a quick study. However, there's still the matter of disposing of the remaining debris here. How is that all that little stuff at the end just seems to grow instead of diminish?

I tried live blogging while the movers were here but I was too distracted, however it was a pleasant enough experience. They were two young guys and they were very careful and efficient but also kind of personable. My neighbor David, (who lives in my first apartment in this building) dropped in and confirmed what I always believed, that his place, although otherwise identical is about four inches wider than mine. I sent him home with a plant that needed a good Jewish home.

Meanwhile, I only have time for this one item and it doesn't look like good news to me. It appears the dollar's slide has reached the velocity where the black market now prefers euros. "Drug dealers, Russian oligarchs, and black-market traffickers of all kinds" are opting for a currency "easier to carry, store, and hide than dollars." Not to mention the monetary value. "Since 2002, the growth rate of euros in circulation has far outpaced that of dollars. At today's rates, a 500-euro note is worth $682."

When the black market backs out, it's to time to pay attention. With between 55% and 70% of the $703 billion of U.S. currency outstanding said to be circulating outside the 50 states, this is serious concern.