@ Algonkin
Nothing is $1.99. It is $1.99 + tax. So for me that $1.99 is really $2.13. Without pennies it would be $2.15 which I could really care less. I wouldnt be using cash anyways so it would really be $2.13 for me.

"My first impulse would be to free all the slaves, and send them to Liberia,—to their own native land."

"I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And in as much as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."

(all quotes from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln_on_slavery)

Lincolns primary concern was smashing independent state power and affirming the supremacy of the Federal state. Indeed, he was no true friend of black people, and only freed the slaves to keep the European powers from coming to the aid of the Confederacy, and for other purely political reasons.

Before 1860, it was assumed that the union was voluntary - all states were there as independent entities acting of their own volition. There is a reason that "united States of America" had that capitalization in the declaration of independence. Lincoln forever smashed this and put the southern states under the yoke of industrialists in Washington D.C. The true cause of the war was not about slavery, but about money, as all wars usually are. Specifically, it was started after the ports in South Carolina started accepted shipping with radically lower tariffs, trying to lure the merchant trade from NYC and Boston. The slavery was the moral issue used to cover up the true financial motives - in a way similar to the "culture wars" of today.

Without Abraham Lincoln there would be no George W. Bush. Idolize him at your own peril.

That's sad.

we could just do like the aussies and round everything to the nearest five cents.

::off to get rich one cent at a time

Actually, there have been studies on this exact effect. See this Post Gazette article, for instance.

1) Will it be copper?
2) Are pennies really necessary theses days?

Why not round out an item at $2.00 instead of $1.99?
Pennies are useless if you ask me. You only end up rolling the damned things anyway.