Wow, almost three full years ago, I blogged about eliminating the penny, and it has finally caught on in the mainstream press. (Talk about being ahead of the curve. And thank you, Time, for finally picking up on this.)

Once again, there is little reason for keeping the penny in circulation, besides for the zinc lobby and those who use the penny for marketing ("Oh, really, the first cd would only cost me a penny?").

Before you rush to conclusions, ask yourself these questions: How often do you grab for pennies before heading out for lunch? How often do you reach down to pick up a penny that falls out of your pocket? Would even a bum be content if you'd drop a couple pennies in his cup?

Let's get realistic: "That's $14.44, sir. You know what? Let's call it $14.45." You've got a deal.