Desperate Times?

Did you know that you can use a "Berkshare" to pay for your purchase in Berkshire, Massachusetts instead of a dollar bill? In Detroit you can use a "Detroit Cheer" at the Bucharest Grill. In fact, apparently 75 local currency systems have started nationwide recently. They basically work like a coupon: you buy $100 for $95 and spend them at participating locations. But still, the idea of using something resembling a currency (that's not the dollar) here in America is both clever, and a bit surreal.