I had heard of such incidents but never actually had them happen to me but in the course of a week I saw two for myself. What were they? They were examples of what my dad calls "The dumbing of America".
The first incident was after I had spoke for a group about currencies of the world. It was late and I was hungry and knew it I wanted something I had better fend for my self. So, just before home I ran through a drive through and ordered a hamburger. The voice came back, "Thank you. That will be $6.23 at the second window." I pulled up handed her a $10 (Jamaican) and kept a straight face. She closed the window and peered at it and walked to the back, where I expected her to return and give it back. She returned all right, stuck it in the register and gave me change for $10 USD. I gave her two $5's (USD) and told her she better put those in the register instead. About that time a young kid (the Manager) came up and remarked, "I thought it was ten bucks, it says it right here and pointed to the words 10 Dollars." I laughed and explained it was not the same. (We spend huge amounts of money on anti-counterfeiting and yet people will take money that does not even look like ours).

The next incident was when I took my car to be washed and detailed. A man in his mid twenties was behind the register looking confused. It seems the computerized cash register had just gone down. He could write me a ticket and I could pay but he did not know how to make change. The bill came to $19.01 and I handed him a twenty and picked up a penny out of the dish on the counter and handed him. He was stumped.

Have computers really helped us? Or are they just high priced 'Gameboys'. What did they teach these guys in 3rd grade arithmetic? This was not a complex equations and the fact I picked up the penny should have been a clue the change would be a nice whole number. I suppose the funny quips I read about things like this are actually true, which makes them sad rather than funny. These people are our future.