World Tour, A Lá Dollar Store

Or, a tour of some random countries, at least, since shopping trips often turn up some items from places not known as "China." And if purchases are not akin to those of the Grand Tour, the price is right.

Can't say much for the highly artificial scent of the "mineral salts and seaweed" bars, but couldn't resist the wrapper (enlarged here)—

Uh, no; it would appear not—

The offer of "Find Cash! In the bar if you're lucky" [according to my gracious host's translator] was past its expiration date, but winning a prize wouldn't have paid for the trip to claim it, as Rp 200,000 turns out to be not quite $22.

Sister J. has remarked on the odd paths by which merchandise comes all this way to sell for only $1. Complicated intrigue and money laundering were her suspicions...

Overactive imaginations aside, this is a store run by a nice family that's been in its nearby location for quite a few years, to the gratitude of the neighborhood. I've heard appreciative remarks from more than one customer, including the public school teacher who exclaimed, "If it wasn't for you, I couldn't afford to buy art supplies for my students!" But that's a whole 'nother story, about our brave new world of Tiffany's or Dollar Store...

I did want to find a juicer, and this Israeli-made plastic model does not smell toxic. Kitchen use requires removing the enjoyably retro packaging, but that's one thing cameras are for—

It is a good design, with a handle that fits nicely in the hand—

And this is reminiscent of those happy, happy foodstuffs of 1950s cookbooks...

OK: Declare Victory (And Go Home, Already)

A flip book, opening with these instructions— I'm not so sure about this "upper" and "lower" business, since the black numbers actually are visible at page tops—

Maybe the system refers to whether pages need turning or not (so "upper" means reverse of a current page). In any case, each number corresponds to a list of New Testament verses. By flipping to the matching references the reader is led to "proof" of each point: ammunition for charging on to win those souls.

Second half of the setup—

After answering all one needs to know about Hell (page 39) and Salvation (40), some very special help is offered— This is a family franchise; original copyright noted 1948, Waldemar W. Zimmermann and Donald A. Zimmerman.

This time around—

Compiled by Max E. Zimmerman
Over 1,000,000 in print
23rd Printing, January 1988 — 50 M

One great thing for these people, since 1948— Publisher is listed as "Immanuel Mission Inc." in Phoenix. Printing is in California, and was no doubt kept in someone's family, too: printer uses a union bug ripoff, but it's for sure no ungodly union need apply—