People were actually standing in line......

I stopped at Kroger on the way home from work tonight and saw people standing in line to use a machine called "CoinStar." (Okay, it was only two people, but that's still a "line.") I understand the argument people might make that CoinStar offers a convenience. But, I like to break things down to the brass tacks -- that is, what is the fundemental element of whatever I'm looking at. And it seems to me that "CoinStar" is basically a machine that allows the user to deposit $100, receive $96 in return and SOMEHOW walk away happy and satisfied! This is a phenomenally successful scam. I really wish I had thought of it. Again, logically boil it down, they have convinced people that $96 in paper money is worth more than $100 in metal money. It like the old trick question "Which weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead?" in reverse. These machines even play a video on the screen showing a woman smiling ear-to-ear, rejoicing that this machine just transformed her $100 into $96...despite the fact that she received NOTHING in return for her $4. People can be sold almost ANYTHING so long as it's packaged and marketed just right.