Abstract: A system incorporating method and associated apparatus for establishing virtual banking in a merchant venue or syndication of merchants for one or more consumers in a manner that increases the deposit-based assets of a related traditional banking institution by loading transactions of fractional currency amounts, preferably reflecting the acquisition of physical fractional currency, and more preferably coinage, and thereupon enabling inter-merchant (or syndicate) commercial transactions, including purchases and sales, in a manner that does not deplete deposit-based assets. Commercial transactions are at the direction of consumer(s) each with their own portable device linked to a merchant-hosted virtual account that maintains transaction details, histories and balances, and transmits data reflecting the same to the portable device(s) where it is recorded and displayed, upon demand.

Abstract: A system incorporating method and associated apparatus for establishing virtual banking in a merchant venue or syndication of merchants for one or more consumers in a manner that increases the deposit-based assets of a related traditional banking institution by loading transactions of fractional currency amounts, preferably reflecting the acquisition of physical fractional currency, and more preferably coinage, and thereupon enabling inter-merchant (or syndicate) commercial transactions, including purchases and sales, in a manner that does not deplete deposit-based assets. Commercial transactions are at the direction of consumer(s) each with their own portable device linked to a merchant-hosted virtual account that maintains transaction details, histories and balances, and transmits data reflecting the same to the portable device(s) where it is recorded and displayed, upon demand.

Abstract: A system, method and associated apparatus for establishing virtual banking in a merchant venue or syndication of merchants to a consumer while optionally increasing the deposit-based assets of a related traditional banking institution, having a consumer portable device for containment of currency amounts linked to the consumer's account and enabled to perform commercial transactions at the direction of the consumer that affect the balance of the consumer's account, which consumer portable device also displays balance and transactional information; a node device for containment of currency amounts accurately reflecting the consumer's account and optionally associated with a captive account at the banking institution and enabled to perform commercial transactions that affect the balance of the consumer's account in accordance with instructions received from the consumer portable device, which node device also optionally provides for balance, statements, transactional information, and profiling of the consumer's

Abstract: A plastic bag of flat, frusto-conical form has an open upper end formed to receive a filling nozzle and to serve as a funnel when the bag is being emptied, and a carrier handle has three arms for receiving the upper end of the bag with the bag forming a loop which extends about a first handle arm and is frictionally locked on a second arm, a third arm preventing leakage or back surge from the bag, and the narrower open end of the mouth of the bag being fully sealed by a wider lower portion of the bag mouth.