Nicholas Kristof in an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/opinion/05kristof.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fopinion%2Findex.jsonp) writes about a program by Mercy Corps in Haiti. This NGO will transfer money to people’s phone accounts – the money, in the form of phone talk time, is then used as currency to buy goods and services.  The article describes this “currency” as key to enabling the poor to get money, transfer it safely and use it for procurement or payment.  Amazing that phone talk time is a fungible good and a solution to the money flows required in supply chains for the poor.  How scalable is this solution ? Would be useful in a developed country ? Your thoughts