I just attended a 25th anniversary and it was great... my younger cousin (20) hosted the event in honor of her parents (my aunt and uncle). Now keep in mind she is a full time university student paying her own tuition on a small budget. Because she was on a very tight budget she decided that she would have an open bar (which is fine by me as I am there to celebrate the 25 wonderful years that my aunt and uncle have shared.) Secondly she decided she would have everyone pay for their own meal... this is how she worked it out... she asked for $35 from each guest... $20 to go towards the meal, which was very good... and the remaining $15 from each guest was pooled together and given as one gift from the entire family to be put towards my aunt and uncles trip to Hawaii. I know it seems we paid for everything... but that is not the case... I think people sometimes overlook the other hosting details that add up... such as the venue, decorations, favors, cake, centre pieces and etc. She also hired a photographer, which I think is more important paying for than the bar... the photos are lifetime memories that will help remind our entire family of the amazing time we had that day/night. I am happy she kept my aunt and uncle in mind that day... it was there day and if that meant I had to spent a little bit of my money to make sure it was everything they dreamed, then so be it I LOVE MY FAMILY. I almost forgot... we raised $1800 toward their trip to Hawaii. Pretty good, eh! (Yes I'm Canadian.) Think about it! If I had to go out and get a card that's $5... gift wrap and bows $10-$15... a gift is approx. $50 or more if you want something worth buying... this would have added up to a lot more money. So basically I saved... I paid $35, $20 to my meal, $15 toward the Hawaii pool and approx. $12 on drinks the wine was free and set on the tables. So if you do the math based on buying a gift at $50 and the card and bow at $15... I saved $23, WOW! Sure she could have left the bar out all together, but I think it's best she gave her guests the option to have a few casual drinks or not. I mean really what does it really cost for a few good casual drinks approx. $15. Just my opinion! Have a good day!

I'm sorry, I didn't realize this was a discussion about organic vs. non-organic foods. Well, it is and it isn't. :-) I'm using "organic" as an oversimplified term to mean "locally-produced foods which are grown sustainably and processed minimally". I'm aware that there are many producers who do most of that and who have not undertaken organic certification. They're OK in my book. The beef I have (pardon the pun) is with people who think they're driving the cost of their food way down by buying pork that is injected with up to 15% of its weight with water, salt, and preservatives; buying eggs from hens kept in cages so small they can't move and fed a diet that no chicken would ever select for itself; farmers who use synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides to combat monocultural farming; and all of the corporate agricultural subsidies -- paying farmers to not grow crops; subsidizing the cost of transportation by keeping gas cheap and taking the cost of fighting wars off the books; and charging all of us road taxes to repair the damage done by trucking produce halfway across the country and the environmental damage done by runoff from manure pools and insecticides and by top-soil erosion. There are costs associated with all of that, but conventional farmers typically don't pay them. We all do. I do not strictly purchase organic, whole grain type foods. I purchase the best I can with my monthly food budget and go from there. I understand that if you live with such high standards, you probably can't prepare lunches for $1-2 each. What I don't understand is this: where are you able to eat lunch out for $4 and eat purely organic? I couldn't go anywhere in my town and spend $4 and eat to your standards. It just isn't possible. I don't always eat organic. If I'm invited to a friend's birthday party, I won't refuse to attend because they don't buy organic. It is, however, a strong preference of mine (and it's what I feed my guests). It is cheaper to bring organic from home. Beans and rice or some soups and stews can be relatively inexpensive organic meals. I would be hard-pressed to eat out organically for $4, though my food co-op comes close with a mix-and-match hot-food bar for $6. My point (apparently not made very well) is that many people on the Internet claim to make a meal that costs only a couple of bucks. Well, if that's done by purchasing heavily-processed non-sustainably-produced food that is grown, gathered, and sold by people half a country (or half a world) away who don't make a living wage, then someone else (actually, everyone else) is picking up the associated costs. I don't consider a slice or two of "baloney" on Wunder Bread and a banana a balanced, healthful meal, even if they don't come much cheaper than that. It's ironic that the most-heavily-processed food available in the U.S. is often the very cheapest. The "boutique" aspect of organic food aside (I won't deny it exists), organic food costs what food should cost. I don't look upon it as "such high standards" so much as I consider it the standard. If you were to add in the costs of trucking food halfway across the country, providing working wages and basic health and educational coverage to the people growing and harvesting the crops, and the costs of epidemic high blood pressure and diabetes brought on by the heavily-processed American diet and lifestyle, people wouldn't be saying, "I can make a full meal for $1 or $2." It really costs us more than that.

Actually, Greg...you're incorrect with that assumption. There are a few caveats, however. If I, as an individual, am conducting a garage sale Saturday morning & you hand me cash for that old dresser I've got...I could refuse to accept your cash...maybe. Possibly, not even then if you were to actually take me to Small Claims Court. Why? Because by offering my dresser at the garage sell, it could easily be argued that I was willing to enter into a contract to sell the dresser for some price. If I agreed to your price offer...cash is "legal tender" for payment in the US. Fearing for one's safety does not negate cash being "legal tender". Imagine what a nighmare this country would be in if everybody could go around saying, "I won't accept your American dollars as legal tender"? That was a problem back in the days of the old Silver Certificates that were issued by individual banks. We corrected the problem and now have a centralized banking system with one national currency. And, to answer your question more directly... If I'd signed a P&S Agreement with a Seller and I arrived at closing with cash & the Seller would not accept my cash as "legal tender"...you bet your life I'd sue. And, I'd win. That's the law of the land...like it or not. Cash remains "legal tender" in the US. You just can't escape that. Now, it's certainly not always practical to pay with cash which is really what most of you are talking about & I agree with you from that standpoint. But, those who say cash won't be accepted are just wrong. The laws of our country say otherwise. You're getting confused with company policies...it is the company's preference that you not pay with cash. But, by Golly, if you don't trust banks & all you ever use is American Greenbacks...that company legally has to accept your currency. They may huff...and they may puff...because it's a PITA for them; but, they HAVE to accept your cash. Tricia

Buehl, please do! I was just trying to save something of use. I'd been checking the GW all night, turned my back for 15 minutes to watch the Health Care vote, and whammo! all the posts were gone. I kept refreshing, thinking, "This can't be!"