No more pennies? 

International author and thought leader Blake Lockhart today filed notice that he intends to fight the federal government of Canada on its phasing out of the penny. Lockhart said the move will virtually kill a means of sharing between strangers via the 'Take a Penny, Leave a Penny' dishes at cash registers.

"This is a cold, hard world we live in. The average person is selfish, ignorant, and self-obsessed. The 'Take-a-Penny, Leave-a-Penny' dish has long been a way for people to help out a complete stranger while remaining anonymous," Lockhart said from his Ottawa condo overlooking the Royal Canadian Mint. "The end of the penny means the world just got a whole lot colder. What's next for this mean-spirited government, mandatory seat belts in school buses?" 

Lockhart plans to contribute up to $2 million from his royalties for A Touch of Grey ... Down There (the best-selling love story of two seniors living in Florida) to fund a billboard and social media campaign called "Save The Penny, Save Society".