When I first read the headline "Court rules paper money unfair to blind," I sighed in relief. About time. Perhaps now the government will change the paper money and add tactile features to make the bills more easily readable for the blind and visually impaired.

It's amazing that visually impaired people, in the U.S. of all countries, have to fight for their right to know the difference between a $1 and a $100 bill. But fact is that millions of visually impaired Americans have a hard time telling what denomination they hold in their hands -- and they have spoken up on the internet, and in court. And today, finally, a federal appeals court said paper money discriminates against blind people, upholding a ruling that could force the U.S. to redesign its money to make the notes distinguishable.

If you're worried about costs, don't be. If most countries in the world can afford it, including Iraq, then so can the U.S. In fact, It's Our Money Too! says that "the cost of adding a tactile feature to U.S. paper currency is projected to be less than five percent of the over all annual cost of producing paper currency."

Here's what other countries are doing according to the Committee on Currency Features Usable by the Visually Impaired: "Of the 171 issuing authorities identified by the committee, more than 100 issue banknotes that vary in size for the different denominations . . . [and] 167 use a clearly differentiated color scheme for all denominations." Also in use are:

• large numerals on banknotes;
  
• special shaped patterns;
  
• specific engraved visible markings;
  
• specific engraved invisible markings;
  
• watermark features; and
  
• machine-identifiable features.

The ruling doesn't surprise me. What surprises me is that it has taken this long and that there was actually a judge who voted against the ruling. Will the U.S. change its currency now, perhaps in time for it to start strengthening again?

Target Corporation's (NYSE: TGT) website has not been available for use by blind people the way that a number of other websites are. As a result, a federal judge is allowing blind plaintiffs to pursue a class action suit against the company. According to The Wall Street Journal, "granting class-action status allows blind people throughout the country who have tried to access Target.com to become plaintiffs in the suit, which alleges violations with the Americans With Disabilities Act."

Although few people with normal vision realize it, there is software that allows the blind access to websites. The Journal describes it as reading software to vocalize invisible code embedded beneath computer graphics and describe content on a web page.

Target did make some changes to its site after the first suit was filed, but that did not appear to matter to the judge.

The whole incident raises a problems for the e-commerce world. If Target has to provide the software, how many other sites can be sued and forced to do so? Will every retail site have to add the special software? What about content sites?

Added features for the blind to e-commerce sites large and small could cost the industry millions of dollars. No one has explained where that money will come from.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

Although hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) Prius are all the rage among the eco-happy jetset (hybridset?) these days, they're getting some legit flak from those who don't even drive: blind people. The problem? The virtually noiseless hybrid cars run on electric power that can't be detected by those who use their ears to determine if it's safe to cross the street or walk through a parking lot.

Hybrids are so quiet because they shut off their internal combustion engines at city speeds as the electric motor takes over. While this feature is probably admired by those who oppose noise pollution, it can wreak havoc for the blind. So what to do?

For starters, the blind are advocating that while hybrid cars are great for the environment, they need to make some noise, if only a little. In fact, the National Federation for the Blind is asking for a minimum noise level output for hybrid vehicles. Toyota is said to be studying the issue internally, but the automaker did state that one of the features of its hybrids is a lack of noise pollution along with the lack of air pollution.

I suspect that if there is a delicate balance to be found here, it won't be found soon.