One day I went to a restaurant/bar that my sister worked at in college. She was just paying her way, and I really just showed up because I didn’t have much anything better to do after work and it didn’t make sense to drive home if I was just going to have to drive back out again to pick her up. So I ordered a beer and told her to bring the check with her. Under the gratuity tab I wrote:
$0.00 HA!!!*
This is my review of Brasserie Caracoule Nostradamus Belgian Brown Ale
Earlier this summer, this article from Politico ruffled a few feathers. It is an editorial discusing a piece of legislation that will not only raise the nation minimum wage to $15, it also contains a provision that will eliminate tipping.
There’s another provision in the legislation—eliminating the subminimum tipped wage—that corrects a wrong that goes much further back than the previous federal minimum wage increase. For workers regularly making more than $30 a month in tips, employers can currently pay as little as $2.13 an hour. That subminimum wage has been frozen at this level for decades. Should the Raise the Wage Act pass the House, it will mark the first time that either chamber of Congress has moved to eliminate the subminimum wage, which not only deepens economic inequalities but also happens to be a relic of slavery.
I suppose that makes it problematic the most racist president in American History happens to carry a bunch of $20’s in his back pocket specifically for tips–and it is. He is supposedly a billionaire, I expect $100’s. Chances are pretty good he made a fortune in the hospitality industry and knows those workers are often motivated to work hard if he tips well.
Should’ve shown more leg
Is the United States emblematic of it’s underlying racism by perpetuating a tipping culture in the services industry? Lets check in with the supposed most perfect country of them all, and an actual racist country and see if there is a tipping culture there…I guess they showed me. Or did they? Chances are the most reasonable explanation for such a disparity between these two countries is—its complicated. After all, in Japan tipping is considered rude.
Here’s my problem: I happen to be a person of color, and while I have experienced casual racism on occasion nobody is lynching me. From the “inherently racist society” standpoint, sometimes somebody will say something stupid. To be honest all it really tells me is that person is an idiot, if all they are doing is saying stupid things there is no sense in letting that affect my mood. From the “inherently racist society therefore racist government” standpoint, some Janet Reno type is not sending anybody to kick down my door, and take me back to where I came from. Yes, immigration raids are a thing, but given that I’m a natural born citizen that’s not really a concern for me. Besides, that’s more a symptom of a our quasi-eunuch culture that practically begs for an enormous overbearing bureaucracy to step in, and make things all better…
The worst I normally experience is from other Mexicans, who assume I primarily speak Spanish based entirely on appearances. Let’s face it, if I put on a Panama Hat, tuck in a collared shirt, and walk around a bit somebody is going to ask if I need hands on my hacienda. Its a look I pull off.
That said, the only way we can fix this is for some to recognize society has moved on from sins of the past. Was it bad? Absolutely. Is it a custom with roots in an unsavory part of history? Okay fine, yes. Is it a custom that continues to be justified by this unsavory history? No, it absolutely is not. We tip because we know some occupations do not make a particularly affluent living, but it is a living because the expectation is the service they provide can be rewarded IF it is exemplary. Failure to provide said service in even an acceptable manner, will result in the employer to fire said employee because that service is not particularly difficult and a replacement is easily found.
People making this argument against tipping culture, conveniently forget the owner of the establishment also loses if the service is bad. The food may be fantastic, but it doesn’t do anybody any good if I am staring at my empty water glass because I am not presently eating that fantastic meal. If I should leave, nobody gets paid and the owner is stuck with the cost of the unserved food. Repeat this process for a year and none of the servers and the owner are without work—because the restaurant is out of business. But servers in Europe are paid without tips… In my experience, the service and food in France sucked, the service in England and Ireland was good even if the food also sucked. Guess which countries I was expected to tip?
Want people to move on from our racist past? Stop trying to scour every single aspect of culture and society in an attempt to root out a nearly extinct boogeyman. The rest of us moved on, perhaps you should too.
Is this beer any good? Hell yeah it is. It is similar to red label Chimay but does not bear the Trappist mark for those that prefer Catholics not fly their freak flag. Not quite as good. What? Did you think I was going to yammer on about Nostradamus?
In the year the emperor’s robe turns ablaze. Drink will spill. The libation bearing my name, flows to enhance the good times they will.
How is that? Brasserie Caracoule Nostradamus Belgian Brown Ale 3.8/5
*Relax, I had $2 in cash on hand and left it on the table. Not enough to pay for the beer, but plenty for a tip. Why wouldn’t I tip my own sister?
On occasion nobody is lynching you?
I feel bad for you on all those occasions people are lynching you. :-p
Yes Ted. I made sure that line was ambiguous because your life is that empty.
If we ever meet in person, I’m going to give you a hug. I think that would work out well for you.
Wait. You’re a person of color? OMWC is darker than you.
And the food in France sucked? Did you eat at McD’s or what?
Its true. The old man is a shade darker than I.
No, it was some cafe along the Siene.
You must of missed the point, his name is ‘Mexican’ something, which automagically makes him a person of color. Unless he’s a White Hispanic, in which case he’s a racist also, one of the worst kind. Not only racist, but race traitor for being white.
My good friend’s girlfriend refers to herself as a “brown girl” from time to time because she’s Puerto Rican, and she’s the same skin tone as my Irish-Italian wife. I’m of English/Scottish/Irish descent and am darker in the summer. Then again, she’ll also say stuff like, “Thing X is more authentic where I’m from” at which point he pipes in with, “You mean Ohio?”
And the Waitress is practicing Politics,
as the Businessmen slowly get stoned,
Anyone know a good real estate novelist?
Davey…but he’s still in the Navy
Down, down to hell and say I sent thee thither!
/have to do some work to Jugsy’s truck, and that stupid song is already seared into my head
Dogs love trucks
But it’s better than drinking alone,
Sing us a song, Yusef. You’re the piano man.
Put some bread in my jar,
And say man what are you doing here,
We’re all in the mood for a felony!
Missed it by thiiis much.
Mr. GT, a retired RE appraiser, has oft referred to himself as such.
Haha. As well he should.
I’ve been gone a while, are we randomly quoting Billy Joel now? Is that a thing?
Waitress practicing politics,
I didn’t start the fire.
“You may be right /
I may be crazy /
But it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for.”
You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation /
You’ve got a brand new soul and a cross of gold /
But Virginia they didn’t give you quite enough information /
You didn’t count on me, you were counting on your rosary.”
Love Browns. Will have to look for that.
And there’s the racism!
I’m not racist. I pay them after I love them.
Seventh Son Tone Fort Oat Brown and Anita Turbodog are a couple of Browns I really like.
Stone Fort
That’s disappointing. I thought Iron Maiden made it.
I tip extremely well until I’m given a reason not to. I catch you trying to throw extra drinks on my tab, you get zip.
I only caught that happen once, and it was an honest mistake. It was a miscommunication between the bar staff as they were updating tabs/pouring beers.
Usually I notice them not including a beer on my tab. Unless they’ve told me it was on the house, I mention it to them just in case. Usually they let me have the beer for free.
^^this
The easiest way to get a penny tip from me is making me wait to long on another beer. Probably better off for them if I find a dead rat in my food. But sitting for 20 minutes waiting on another beer, penny tip for sure.
How to properly strike for climate.
https://youtu.be/QFPvM5Qu-WE
Yeah, finding workers is so easy. Like when you require four years of accounting experience and receive applications from people that have been a cashier at Starbucks for three years.
I bet anybody can be a good server too.
Tipping etiquette is confusing. I always tip servers, even at the coffee place, but it’s the others that confuse.
Valet? Yes, up front.
Bellhop? Yes
Shuttle driver at the airport? Yes
Concierge? No
Delivery guys? Sometimes
Installers? Rarely (especially if they own the biz )
Uber? Yes
What did I miss?
Barber/hairdresser – ????
Yes
Yep
Yeah, I throw in a couple extra bucks there.
[faking a conversation on the phone] Now, John, you’ve got to wear clothes in proportion to your physique. There are definite do and don’ts, good buddy of wearing a bold striped shirt. A bold stripe shirt calls for solid colored or discreetly patterned suits and ties. [pause] Yes, always tip the stylist 15%. Listen, John, I’ve gotta go, T. Boone Pickens just walked in. [laughs] Just joking. No, don’t tip the owner of the salon. Okay John? Right? Got it.
Don’t forget your newspaper delivery person come Christmas time.
As a newspaper kid in Mpls I would include a cheap Christmas card with the Sunday Paper a couple weeks before Xmas, signed “The Paper Boy”. It was a gentle reminder and worked wonders. Some of my customers tipped every week. 6 dailies and a Sunday were 40 cents, so a dime tip was serious money. I made less than a dime on the week’s delivery and the tip was appreciated.
Most did not tip weekly but still… Xmas was the good times…
And trashman if you still have em.
I used to at Christmas time then learned they could be fired for accepting it in Minneapolis!!
Yep, tip me heartily
People still get newspapers delivered?
Old people.
“Don’t forget your newspaper delivery person come Christmas time.”
I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdF_Vo4B6Ms
I stayed in downtown Philly recently. It was a nice hotel, although I’m pretty sure I got a discounted rate as it was a little too nice compared to what I like to spend. I was so shocked by the $55/night parking cost that I didn’t think a tip to the valet was warranted. Afterward, I felt like a dick.
Honestly, I don’t think tipping should be expected for any job that pays MW or more. AFAIK the only jobs that are sub-MW are waiters and waitresses. If you feel like it, fine. Otherwise I wouldn’t sweat it.
I delivered pizza and I had better than minimum wage, but I got tipped. Good ones. Of course, I was using gas and wear and tear on my car, so I also got a delivery bonus.
OTOH I follow most of the tipping etiquette because I usually can. And because it is “socially expected”.
What I don’t like is all the confusion and drama it causes.
This.
Few things piss me off more than renting a hotel room online at a ‘discount’ and then getting to the hotel where they overcharge the shit out of you for parking.
We tipped our installer for our condensing unit…not the owner who was also on site.
This is a tough one for me. Not sure why pros getting paid real money need tips.
If In offered a tip I never turn it down, a customer explained it is an insult to refuse, so I take them
Concierge? No
What’s frenchy gonna do? Be incomprehensible at you?
Masseuse
Just the tip, right?
depends on the tip.
Housekeeping was a new one to me last time it came up.
Personally , I’m more okay with tipping when the service is added to the product you’re buying. However I’m perplexed at tipping for the service you just paid for. If I buy a haircut, why am I tipping for the haircut (I still tip for my haircut, even though i think it’s stupid)? Complementary valet, yes tip. Paid valet, no. Server at a restaurant, tip. Food prepper at deli, no tip.
See? That’s exactly it. Where do you draw the line?
I do leave money for housekeeping, though.
My dad always left a tip for housekeeping.
I always tip housekeepers, but that’s because I was in that industry and I know they clean up after horrible people. This past week I stayed at a trendy hotel and tipped 5 dollars a day and received excellent service.
I stayed at the Fairmont in SJ once – somehow got upgraded to a suite. The service there was absurd, so I tipped housekeeping what I thought was reasonable, but apparently was better than that. I got a lovely note from my housekeeper (I only had one during my stay), thanking me.
And yes, my service got even better during the week. She even took a couple shirts and had them pressed for me – gratis.
It was pretty damn cool.
Yes. It is usually a good way to get excellent service for a small amount of money.
When I get get confused is carry out from a dine in restaurant.
No tip. The waitresses didn’t do anything.
Carry out? I do 10% because they tend to pool tips at places like that, but otherwise its not necessary.
My rule…if you are making above minimum wage, you don’t get a tip.
Stripper.
Let’s face it, if I put on a Panama Hat, tuck in a collared shirt, and walk around a bit somebody is going to ask if I need hands on my hacienda. Its a look I pull off.
Trivia: Panama Hats are actually from Ecuador. While visiting a relative in Ecuador, I considering getting one from a hatter the locals liked. Unfortunately he was closed.
People making this argument against tipping culture, conveniently forget the owner of the establishment also loses if the service is bad. The food may be fantastic, but it doesn’t do anybody any good if I am staring at my empty water glass because I am not presently eating that fantastic meal. If I should leave, nobody gets paid and the owner is stuck with the cost of the unserved food. Repeat this process for a year and none of the servers and the owner are without work—because the restaurant is out of business. But servers in Europe are paid without tips… In my experience, the service and food in France sucked, the service in England and Ireland was good even if the food also sucked. Guess which countries I was expected to tip?
I tried explaining this to some Aussies. It went right over their head.
I thought tipping in Prague was similar to tipping in Germany and Austria: anywhere from rounding up to the next Euro to 10% depending on level of service. I was wrong. I was wondering why wait staff seemed to like me a little too much.
Once in Vienna I screwed up a tip calculation. I was surprised by the waiter saying something about it. Instead of doing the math then thinking about the German words for the numbers, I was trying to do both in my head at the same time. I screwed up pretty badly and stiffed the guy on the tip. I pulled the dumb foreigner card and switched to English explaining my German wasn’t very good. After fixing the tip, we went back to speaking German.
The beer looks good. I’ll have to look for it once I drink some more of the stuff in my fridge. Thanks!
I had a waiter in Paris chastise me at an outside cafe, though my tip was about 20 %, though my bill was small. I picked up my tip.
Good. I would have also.
We generally tip 20%, and even for bad service, we won’t stiff a server even if we’re tempted.
I tip lavishly, 20% is my starting point for reasonable service. That said if service is bad I will reduce the tip, if it is bad enough they are getting nothing.
In Pahrump, NV, the owner, waiter of a small Chinese restaurant followed me out to the parking lot, shouting that I had stiffed him on the tip. Gave me a lot of shit about his starving orphans. I took him back inside, didn’t figure any of the few customers had picked up my tip. My 20 % (about $6) was still there.
He suddenly became my best friend, shook my hand, offered some kind of explanation.
Art Bell?
18-20% is my starting point, but I round to the nearest dollar on the total bill. I adjust when service becomes noticeable, either way.
I’m lazy. For a $15-20 meal, I’ll usually just throw down a $5.
Yep, math’s hard
Spud and I used to be regulars at an upscale Italian place, and tipped large, like 35-50%. And we were fun and always shared the wine we brought. The waitstaff would actually fight over who would get our table.
Despite Viennese waitstaff having a reputation of being rude, I’ve never had one be rude to me. Friendly was rare but never rude. Just businesslike.
I would have taken the tip too.
Good servers want tips. That’s the only datum I need in order to make up my mind on this whole tipping nontroversy.
Good salespeople want commissions. It’s always been that way.
Something to please both Q and Pie.
https://www.reddit.com/r/blackmagicfuckery/comments/7szwo6/best_augmentation/
False advertising!
I’m a big tipper, unless the service sucks.
It’s Saturday, and that means day drinking at our favorite neighborhood sports bar. All is right with the world.
Laundry, bummer
I’m a big tipper, unless the service sucks.
LIAR
I’m a big tipper, unless the water is really COLD!
Sorry honey, I pay for quality, not quantity.
Last weekend you paid for five hours of “Strip Cribbage.”
Weird ass.
That gives a whole new meaning to getting “skunked.”
Cribbage, not cabbage. ???
LoL… Skunked is a term from Cribbage. If you beat someone badly enough, it’s referred to as being ‘skunked.’ It hadn’t even occurred to me about ‘skunk cabbage.’
I knew “skunked,” but didn’t know it came from cribbage. I tjought I was making a funny, with crbbage and cabbage. LOL
Is it truly from cribbage? I’ve heard it used as a descriptor for getting a zero in any scored competition.
Now I have to go find out where that term originated. Good thing I’m snowed in and stocked up with alcohol.
Cabbage is better, especially if you pickle it. Throw in some shredded zucchini for the bestest kraut ever. Yes, I’m serious about the zucchini.
Throw in cormed beef, swiss cheese, Russian dressing, I’m there.
Or kielbasa.
Or just … plain.
I love sauerkraut.
Spicy kimchi, ftw!
I tip around 20%, if you suck you’ll get around 10%. If the bill is over $100 and your service was meh, you get 15%.
This is delightful!
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/12/us/blackface-craig-stivender-south-carolina-campaign-trnd/index.html
I have not googled this yet but I will put this to the Glibertariat:
In medieval siege warfare, generally the crops outaide the fortress walls will be ruined either by the attacking force or burnt, and any villeins outside the curtain wall slain.
But what jappens to surrounding villages? In Cuntes & Cods, I have a village 5 miles away from the castle and another big town 20 miles away from the castle. Do you think the village or the town would see or be victim to the attacking force?
Cuntes & Cods II: Trebuchet Bugaloo
No cavalry? Would the invaders not hit the other villages? Would not the other villages form a militia and walk to the rescue? Inquiring minds…
Generally speaking, the defender in siege warfare didn’t have to do much (relatively speaking). As long as they had food and water, it was a waiting game.
Cavalry is assumed, but if the defending force doesn’t have to come outside the fortress, they don’t have much to do.
In this case, the castle is outnumbered (not a problem if they have food and water) and the attacking force has longbows as well as the defending force.
Castles were built with many many defensive features so the attacking force is not getting in.
The attacking force is coming from the west hitting none of the villages in between. The village and town I’m worried about are due north.
No the towns would not raise a militia. They don’t have the firepower or skill to take on a duke’s army.
The Romans would build a counter siege wall, and no man’s land in between, no one in, no one out,
Starvation and pestilence soon followed, and no help from outside,
That was how Henry V took Rouen, starved them out.
Rouen released 12,000 poor and starving women and children thinking Henry would take mercy on them and let them pass. He didn’t.
They died in that no man’s land.
I’m no expert, but from what I understand a lot of the peasants weren’t slain. They were either taken as slaves or just left to starve or if they had a craft they were basically adopted under the new ‘boss.’
This particular commander won’t care if they die. In this case, the villeins are enclosed within the fortress but the frops and livestock are not.
The goal is for the attacking army to vanquish but not until reinforcements arrive from the southeast that the defender (Chapter 18’s horndog) is not prepared for. Total surprise attack.
I mean the attacking army’s commander won’t care if they die. The point is that the duke wants to annihilate his neighboring earl.
Is the town strategically important?
Currently yes. That may change.
I need to get the women and children out of the castle befote the attacking army arrives, and get them into Scotland.
Well since you’re writing erotic fiction, make them sexy, slutty peasants that the attackers are willing to let pass in exchange for a good fucking.
LOL
I generally like to have a little bit of plot between fuckings.
Depends which direction the town and village lay and from which direction the invaders are marching, and also are the town and village under control of said castle?
See above. Village and town due north, army from the west.
The village is in the control of the earldom. The big town id in the control of a neighboring earldom.
Any village or town would be stripped of food and useful supplies by the attackers. The ring of destruction would grow over time. If the villages weren’t actively participating it would be “just bidness”.
Historically, being a civilian around active warfare sucked.
But women are affected the most by all those men getting killed!
/Hillary Clinton
My questiom really only deals with the towns’ distance from the castle. Would destruction spread 5 miles out? I can buy that. 20? I don’t know.
It entirely depends on the size of the besieging army and the length of the siege. There are plenty of accounts of “the land laid bare” for up to 50 miles.
Ooh. A topic I know something about.
In general pre-modern sieges were frequently a race to see which side would starve or succumb
to disease first. The attacker normally would need around six times the defenders forces
to avoid being vulnerable to sorties from within.
After that, actually feeding the besieging army for any length of time could be difficult, given
the level of infrastructure. And of course the army would only be called up for the season.
Once it got to harvest time, desertion and dissent became a problem, because they attackers
needed to get home to do their own harvest.
I’d guess that a village five miles away would have a very good chance of being plundered
for supplies. That’s pretty close. The big town 20 miles away might be more or less ok.
It probably has defenses of it’s own that might be sufficient to hold off a raiding party.
The relative strengths here may make a difference. If the attackers are in need
of the expected reinforcements, they probably don’t have the manpower to really
go off on many expeditions. On the other hand, their supply situation will be marginally
better. An energetic defense would make things worse for the defender.
You noted a need to evacuate the non-combatants before
the attacking army arrived. A good defending commander should have some
advance warning, and may be able to either plan ahead of time, or use harassing
attacks to buy some time. I will note that this is really more of a light cavalry
job, and since you mentioned Scotland, light cavalry wouldn’t really fit
western Europe during the medieval era.
TL;DR village five miles away: probably plundered, unless there was a political reason
not to do so. Big town twenty miles away, probably more or less ok until the reinforcements
show up. I’d need numbers of troops and population densities to do a better analysis,
and I’d have to break out my books.
Undoubtedly there’s a real logistics expert here who could do a better job…
I will take you up on your offer. Here is the kicker with this particular siege:
Heroine is learned in poisons. Hero (aforementioned horndog) uses guerrilla warfare when he can, which was not done then. He intends to poison the attackers’ ale/mead/water supplies and sends out men to the attacker’s estate to poison everyone there, killing the supply lines.
It should be a week-long war with horndog hero winning handily via straight massacre. Then he gets hit up by the second army and has to prepare (yes he has warning).
So I have done another unusual thing: Hero has a standing army he pays and feeds. See: Scotland and border wars. Attacking noble ALSO has a standing army.
Most of their armies are in France with Henry V, leaving them both with a fraction, but horndog hero has a tiny earldom and the duke’s is massively bigger.
I have a figure of somewhere around 700 men for tiny earl and 2,000 for big duke.
I do not know if that is realistic in the least bit. I can’t get a clear answer on what’s reasonable. I only know there were few standing armies at the time, but that was beginning to come into vogue around 1420.
I also can’t get a clear handle on how fast it takes people to get x many miles over what terrain with what accoutrements.
As a very rough approximation, armies have pretty much marched around 12 miles a day
since about forever. I have better numbers for different terrain. I can work up a
small table. Bad terrain, bad supplies, and bad leadership can cut that down significantly.
Highly motivated troops, especially with smaller numbers could force march up to maybe
50 miles a day, but you’re extremely unlikely to get that in the medieval period.
Cavalry can go a bit further, but only for a short time. Over the long haul, say two to four
weeks, cavalry won’t do any faster than men can march. If you try, the horses die.
I can get some numbers on troop strengths. Your numbers don’t strike me as obviously
wrong, though perhaps a bit low for the duke.
This probably isn’t the right forum. If the powers that be want to pass on my contact
info, or yours, I can almost certainly come up with more detail than you need. I’ve got
several books on early and pre-modern logistics, and army sizes, and movement rates.
To clarify, that 50 miles in a day, you can do maybe once. The troops
will be exhausted at the end of it, and won’t be doing it again, or much of
anything else, the next day.
That would be lovely!
Would you mind beta reading? (she asks with big blinking puppy-dog eyes)
My email is moriah at moriahjovan dot com.
I got the idea of the poisoning from Agincourt when dysentery hit the French. My tiny earl was at Agincourt, saved the king’s life and then was granted an earldom. So he’s new at the nobility/politics/alliances business. He’s a knight/soldier/warrior at heart and soul.
In short, I have ZERO idea what I’m talking about. It doesn’t have to be too exact in book 1, but it MUST be exact in book 2. Thus, I have to set this up right.
Not all the women in the fortress are going to Scotland. The countess, another noblewoman, their children and their attendants, and the countess’s mother. The countess is Scots so they’re going to her homeland. By the way, the countess has just given birth. They have two vigntaines (sp), the countess’s mother’s and the countess’s, so they have 40 armored men plus supplies heading to Scotland over friendly terrain. The countess will be captured on the way.
JUSTICE
It’s not that we need the top 0.1%’s money, though. As the United States’ expansive military budget and fossil fuel subsidies should show, there is more than enough money lying around in the public purse to fully fund a rapid and equitable decarbonization tomorrow; we shouldn’t hold the fate of human civilization hostage to the Jeff Bezoses of the world. The reason to make tax rates fairer is simple: to eliminate billionaires. And let’s ban their carbon-spewing yachts and private jets while we’re at it. Among the ultra-wealthy, there’s also a special place in hell reserved for the executives of those 20 top-polluting companies, who have arguably done more to fuel the climate crisis than anyone else on Earth, misleading the public about its existence in the name of hoarding more and more wealth. Any climate policy worth its salt needs to directly confront the business model of the fossil fuel industry – to dig up and burn as much carbon dioxide as possible – and get rid of the generous subsidies and tax breaks they and their executives enjoy.
Tax policy, after all, is social policy, and it reflects what a society values. As of now, the United States’ tax structure primarily values a small layer of elites who wreck the planet and extract wealth from the workers who actually run their companies – elites who then throw that wealth into hot real estate markets and the unregulated casino known as speculative finance so that their money can go on making more money.
We hates us some modernity, we does.
these people are delusional and dangerous, a bad combo,
There’s a third ingredient in that toxic stew: solidly convinced of their own moral righteousness. They believe they are on a divine mission, and they won’t stop or listen to any criticism.
The “no more billionaires” stuff is really scary to me. First off, it shows that they have a very twisted idea of property rights if they believe that such rights disappear when you accumulate so much property. And it reveals backwards economic ideas that they think the poor will be made better off by smacking down billionaires.
Finally, this is how you get persecution of kulaks and wreckers. How long before they’ll be going after anyone with a 401(k) plan?
That ship has sailed. It’s inevitable. Just after Cyprus’s citizens’ private accounts were frozen and raided the geniuses in Congress put it forth. Struck down in committee (I think), but it’s simmering.
If that doesn’t bring out the pitchforks, we might as well just close up shop.
It won’t.
Once that happens, we’re done.
IMO, the people with 401(k)s don’t have guns. The people with guns don’t have 401(k)s.
Not universally true.
Do not ask me how I know this.
[Standard disclaimer: something something boating accident]
P.S. Just e-mailed you an MP3. Hope the file doesn’t make your machine ‘splode. Lemme know if it gets through OK, & I’ll send one more.
No, I know.
I was trying to figure out how to say it succinctly while getting the point across.
Not enough people in critical mass to make a difference.
I got it! It’s awesome!
2nd song sent.
Also, you have to remember that those 401(k)s are in control of the company you work for (if that’s who it’s through).
The company’s going to hand it over before you get a chance to say boo. Who do you riot upon? Where do you go? The IRS building? Insta-bloodbath.
The answer should be plain if you’ve paid any attention at all to the democrats lefty circle jerk of a presidential debate series. Let’s put it this way, as soon as these asshats have all 3 branches of government again, get the lube and bend over, because you’re getting it good and hard in every conceivable way and then some.
Dear Guardian,
As always, go fuck yourself.
Yrs etc.
The Guardian is worthless lefty horseshit. And that’s being nice.
Sounds like it’s right out of a Rand novel.
In my experience, most “progressives” are against tipping because it offends their sense of regularity or uniformity. When I’ve pressed them on this, the only explanation I’ve gotten is that “it doesn’t make sense” or “it’s not fair”. I think the racism/slavery angle is just an ex post facto thing that they tossed in there as usual.
I thought most of them are against tipping because their degree in gender studies has yet to get them a well paying job. Myself, I hate tipping, unless the service is exemplary. The entire ‘I deserve extra money’ just because I’m here, doesn’t cut it.
It’s weird because tipped waitstaff jobs seem pretty good – the only requirement is a pleasant demeanor, you can make a pretty high wage during dinner rushes, and it offers flexible hours so it’s great for parents or college students. Waiting tables is how my mom was able to support my brother and I while also going to law school.
I sort of “tip” my people too at work. I write a technician’s supervisor if he’s done an outstanding job, bring donuts to a crew busting ass for me.
I even use my personal miles to upgrade my guys to first class when they are flying back from a miserable week at Dugway.
Getting rid of tips is Union mentality. No thanks. Individuals are sometimes better than one another. Let me show my appreciation.
For me, it all comes down to the right to contract. No third party has the right to butt in and change the terms of the contract (over the objections of both parties) because they think it’s “not fair” to one of the parties.
^^^this
“I sort of “tip” my people too at work”
You need to work for one of my clients. I’ve never seen a tip… unless that 13% yearly bonus is a tip… but doesn’t feel like it, I mean no one ever put any money on my desk. But we do get high fives, fist bumps, and that gay happy tuna bullshit.
My little gestures are unofficial but the guys are then more willing to go back out and suffer or work long hours for me.
It’s kind of fun finding out through the grapevine that good people want to transfer into my department and work for me (their words).
*some men are folllowing me. Really? I can’t understand why*
LOL, JK.
I larfed.
@’splosives, I really admire you.
“I sort of “tip” my people too at work. I write a technician’s supervisor if he’s done an outstanding job, bring donuts to a crew busting ass for me.”
Called good management skills. Praise in public, criticize in private.
Amen!
You’d be surprised how difficult that is to pull off. I certainly couldn’t.
Seeing how rude people are, I could neither be a waiter of tables or a teacher. It’d take me probably around 10 minutes to to start choking the life out of some asshole.
Me neither.
For a year, I worked at a call center for a company with a really confusing clusterfuck of a billing system. If the interaction was neutral or positive (e.g. someone just paying their balance or updating an address) I could be cheery enough, but as soon as they got irrational and angry, it was incredibly hard to maintain a basic level of courtesy. I never snapped on anyone, but I had many calls where I had to immediately go outside and sit in the car to cool off (while contemplating just packing up my shit and leaving for good). And by the way, I can fake a friendly voice but not friendly facial expressions and body language. I’d come home so stressed every day that I couldn’t focus on anything except mindless diversion (stupid YouTube videos, getting drunk, etc.)
Thank freaking goodness, I got invited to another position about two months ago with NO customer phone calls, better pay, and less overtime. My stress levels have plummeted and I’m getting back on track with my reading, studying, and exercising. Win-win.
Yeah, my twenties were one shitty customer service job after another. I was really bad at it, too. And yes it was stressful AF. So glad I broke out of that rut.
“let’s ban their carbon-spewing yachts and private jets:
And the second pair of cheap Chinese made shoes that poor people need to walk to the outdoor market and get their wilted produce and fly-covered meat. The fat cats are getting rich selling refrigeration and AC that are unnecessary.
Life was better in the old days before the great migration out of Africa.
“let’s ban their carbon-spewing yachts and private jets”
Just another reaffirmation of my premise that the primary motive behind leftists is envy. Combine envy, self loathing, misery, and hypocrisy, you got yourself a prog there.
Finally got a Heineken in on my desk. I feel better!
I am drinking port because why not?
DIL brought me a really nice bottle from Portugal a few years ago. It was good stuff, but it’s just too sweet for me.
Yeah, very little at a time, very rarely. Best drizzled over real vanilla bean ice cream
I’ve got a few old bottles of port in the cellar. I like it, but it hates me.
Has this outrage porn made the rounds yet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5ykNZl9mTQ
Assholes.
Sandy Hook Promise can go fuck themselves.
The girl with the scissors (fighting back) and the kid busting the window with the skateboard (violating the school policy to “shelter in place”) are the only ones with the right idea.
Also, comments are disabled as usual.
The message I took away was “be prepared”. Seems
reasonable. At least until the end. I’m gathering
that the message I was supposed to get was
“be terrified, and support a police state”.
And they say wokeness is killing comedy. That was hilarious!
Check out this idiocy.
You Can’t Drink Oil!
No, but you sure can drink the kool-aid until it does irreparable brain damage.
Oops.
Oops
More assholes
More like useful idiots.
None of this is really about “climate” at all. No more than the “women’s march” is about women or BLM is about “black lives”. All of them are interchangeable fronts for commie groups.
linky no worky
See correction right above.
Individuals are sometimes better than one another.
UNMUTUAL!
Well, then fucking step up, you lazy bastards!!
This is pretty funny… I mean so sad!
Poor Greta
Poor Greta, she tried to save us all, but now
her crooked scheming parental units scumshe will not be receiving that 903K she totally deserved.Shouldn’t she be in school?
No use for school, we’ll all be dead in what is it now, 12 years?
Where is a truancy officer when you needem, right?
I say round em up and make them work alongside our orphans for a day. Then they’ll be good.
Refreshing honesty
James Dyson, the inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner, has canceled his ambitious plan to build an electric car because the project was not commercially viable.
Dyson said his engineers had built a “fantastic car” and that the project was not being closed due to any failures in research and development.
“However, though we have tried very hard throughout the development process, we simply can no longer see a way to make it commercially viable,” he told staff on Thursday.
The company had tried to find a buyer for the project but had not succeeded, he said.
——–
Some 500 engineers were working on the project, mostly based at its site in Malmesbury and Hullavington in southwest England.
Dyson said the company was working to find alternative roles for as many of them as possible within other areas of its business, which makes air purifiers, fans and hair dryers as well as cleaners.
Although Dyson is closing its automotive division, it said it would continue to develop solid state batteries, and other technology including vision systems, robotics, machine learning, and AI.
“Our battery will benefit Dyson in a profound way and take us in exciting new directions,” the 72 year-old founder said.
They should spend less on technology development, and more on lobbying. That’s how you become successful.
Love it.
Now that’s a businessman!
Thanks, Brooksie!
We have a Dyson “Animal” vacuum. It’s awesome.
We have a pair of dysons. You can find good deals on them refurb. The only complaints I have are that they’re a bitch and a half to clean and the hose on our DC-13 isn’t well designed. Otherwise, they’re good vacuums.
This. I hated cleaning those. I wound up getting a wet/dry monstrosity from a door to door salesman. Seriously, he broke out the ball bearings…
I might buy a Dyson just because of that. I have a Shark right now, 5 years now, and that thing is seriously the best vacuum cleaner I have ever owned.
I have a bagless Eureka – I guess that’s a knockoff of the same technology? It works great.
I owned a Dyson upright for a long time and was very happy with it. When it wore down I bought a Shark because it was like $300 cheaper. It did so well that when it gave up the ghost I bought another one. Shark is to Dyson as Rtic is to YETI: 80% of the performance, 20% of the price.
I had the same experience.
Mr. Mojeaux does not agree. Not sure why he can’t see the Shark does better.
At this point after two Shark’s I’d probably still pick another one of them over a Dyson even if I had the money to burn. LIke I say, it was a great vacuum, but to get the equivalent to the $200 Shark I bought two years ago I’d have to spend $600. I don’t think it’s doing $400 more vacuuming and it’s not like a prestige item.
*Sharks, not Shark’s
Dyson refurb is where I go. Never paid more than $250
“…it’s not like a prestige item.”
https://imgur.com/r/pics/QFfYF
Ha! funny
The only vacuum I’ve ever owned that at 5 years, still seems to have the same suction power as when I bought it. More impressive is that half the thing seems to be made out of recycled PVC pipe.
My wife was insistent on getting a Shark to replace our perfectly good and functional Bissel. I’m so glad she was. That thing is insanely good at pickup up stuff and is a breeze to operate.
we simply can no longer see a way to make it commercially viable
I can see how an English made electric car would be a bit of a challenge.
They couldn’t get it to leak oil.
From the sidebar from Brooksie’s Dyson link:
AI Weekly: In China, you can no longer buy a smartphone without a face scan
match faces to ID photos with 90% accuracy
Well, it could’ve been you or 130 million other people. But it was probably you!
Tom Friedman just blew a hole in his living room wall.
Today in Jokes That Write Themselves:
Elizabeth Warren
What does it say, “Elizabeth Warren is a Native American woman who was once fired from her job for being pregnant?”
White Squaw will get down on her knees and suck the dork face adolescent looking one’s dick the moment it benefits her own cause.
And how
LOL + one teepee and a peace pipe
How is this any different from newspapers, billboards, television, or the sides of buses? You should be able to put up whatever ads you’re willing to pay for and bear the liability for.
Cut her some slack – she’s a law professor.
With this kind of attitude and ignorance, she’s on track to being a Constitutional scholar!
Your nut punch for the day.
No words.
Do we need to make it a ‘Sticky Post’ NEVER. CALL.THE. COPS.
We don’t need one here, but some people do, sadly enough
“but some people do”
Yeah, like 99% of people not on this site. Unfortunately, by the time they learn it, someone is probably going to be dead.
I saw a tweet that said something like, “Why didn’t you go check on her yourself?” That’s a fair question, IMO.
You’re so old fashioned. Get woke!
Look, I’m about as awake as I can manage at the moment. *looks for caffeine*
A white Fort Worth officer fatally shot a black woman inside her home
Christ, almighty, give it a rest.
(on the races of the perpetrator and the victim, that is)
Then there’s this.
Yet again with the race baiting. “White person” is not a synonym for “cop apologist”.
She’s a leftie true believer and self-loathing for being white so for her, it is a synonym.
It’s hard to suss out what “white” and “black” even mean sometimes. The most ardently pro-police justice on the Supreme Court is Thomas, who seems pretty black to me.
Give Kav some time.
“It’s hard to suss out what “white” and “black” even mean sometimes.”
I’m just looking forward to living to the day when we are all so interbred that there’s no way to tell the difference anymore. That should put the triggered ones into a tizzy they’ll never recover from.
Listen. It’s quite simple, libtard. If you don’t want to get shot in your own home like a thug, don’t leave your doors open and keep your lights on like a thug.
Right?!
Apparently owning a gun in Texas is a bad thing now, too. Although Don Escaped Texas is quick to remind us that Texas is not what people think (mostly).
Yeah, I’m glad they managed to find a way to shoehorn that into the first sentence so I can know what to think about this.
If they hadn’t, they’d be on the wrong side of all those “community leaders and pastors” who find this a wonderful opportunity to inject race into it.
Seems pretty possible she didn’t even realize anyone was creeping around out there.
And if she did, pretty likely she thought she was being robbed.
I hope for this cop to have a long and healthy life, free of any fatal natural or unnatural disasters, such as being shot, burned, strung up, or drawn and quartered.
haha
Lol
OMG
The wind died down to 15 mph, and boy does that kite fly! it was easier than I thought, other than some YT videos, I had no clue.
Grandson #1 handled it quite well, so we are going to buy another one for him. cool part? I fly right across the street from my pad, I can break, go have a beer, and tell you guys, then go back and do it again.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/r7rvgxMQLdzqkDBr5
Fun fact- changing plugs/coils on an Envoy with the 5.3 V8 is NOT fun.
But the pain is finally over!
TALL CANS!
I have a 6 pack of Natty Bo in tall cans. Of course, I probably will not drink it until I’m out of good beer.
100′ kite lines that are 2 different lengths, a shit load of string all over the garage, I finally got them to within 2″ of each other,
now we go fly again…
Natty Ice, on the Fly!
In my Tahoe it was the starboard one closest to the firewall. That was a mother.
All’s well that ends well. Especially if no plugs broke!
I learned on YewTubes to take the tire off the passenger side to access the plugs through the wheel well.
Im really glad I saw that, otherwise I would’ve arsoned the truck in the driveway.
Driver’s side wasnt “bad”…..but challenging.
That’s why,….. Fuck that, pay someone else, I’m too old to Fuckk with it. unless I’m really broke,
I did it out of necessity when I was broke. Now I do it because I have all those tools and I need to justify them taking space in my shop!
Just practicing my Wok stir fry flipping technique. I still got it!
Spicey Szechuan Stir Fry
If it’s not spicy, can you still call it Szechuan?
Apparently, yes. I mean in Murica you can.
AOC gets choked up at climate forum: ‘My dreams of motherhood are now bittersweet’
Oh darn was hoping she would spawn more moronic offspring.
One of her handlers just told her she shouldn’t hire a nanny because the optics would be bad.
Yeah, please do not procreate, you moron. Where do I donate to the cause?
OFFS what a fraud.
Really, you think?
What’s the opposite of “whataboutism”? Or am I asking the right question?
Here’s the scenario:
A recent conversation…
Her: “Wow, this Syria thing is starting to look like a really serious…thing.”
Me: “Yeah.”
Her: “So Turkey’s going to invade, it looks like, and Syria is going to call Russia in. I heard Russia hates NATO and wants to break it up. I’ll bet they called Trump to get him to pull out troops so Turkey could go in and kill the Kurds and then get expelled from NATO. But why would that benefit Russia? I guess to weaken NATO?”
Me: “Well, it’s complicated–”
Her: “Yeah.”
Me: “–but really that’s just one of the many parts of the world we shouldn’t be in anyway. And frankly I’m not all that convinced we need NATO any more, but that’s a debate that’s been going on for a while now.”
Her: “Well, it’s pretty fucked up that we told the Kurds to stand down and everything and now we’re just leaving. Like, you don’t ramp up a war and then peace out and leave your allies to die. Maybe the guy from Apprentice isn’t the best person to be handling this situation.”
Me: “I mean, if you stay with that logic then we’ll have troops everywhere forever. At a certain point you have to call it a day. And, besides, the ‘experts’ are the ones who got us into this situation, so I’m not really impressed by how they’ve handled it.”
Her: “There you go again. Whataboutism.”
It’s almost like she’s doing a negative tu quoque. Like an idea she would otherwise support becomes stupid and evil because OrangeManBad. What is that? And what’s a funny meme I can send her while she’s on her stationary bike to piss her off?
TDS is a highly infectious and potentially devastating condition. Unless it’s family or your spouse, just leave it be, nothing you can do.
Ding ding ding. As I’ve said before, mostly we just don’t talk about politics. She loves to argue, though.
I have a few friends and co-workers I have an unspoken pact with, we don’t talk about politics. I turned my wife into an unapologetic libertarian, but it took nearly 9 years, and she’s worth it. If I’m not sleeping with someone, it’s not worth the trouble.
This does not seem like a productive argument. Your interlocutor is much closer to whataboutism (with unrelated stuff like Putin hates NATO, Trump was on the Apprentice) than you are (as told by you, anyway).
I know it is the least important thing in the world, but it’s annoying when she sends me some bad meme where one person says “There’s a roach in my soup” and the other person says, “Obama owned restaurants too!” and then says, “This reminds me of you, you always defend Donald Trump.” But I have a difficult time looking the mother of my children in the eye and saying, “You can’t find Syria on a map and you don’t know what NATO stands for, and the only reason you’re even thinking about this is because it’s an excuse for you to bitch about Trump. When I point out that Obama droned people it’s not ‘whataboutism’, I’m not saying droning is OK, I’m really pointing out that when Obama did bad things you didn’t care because you’re about signalling for your tribe, not about taking a principled stand on something.”
The time in the doghouse would almost be worth it
That’s what I was thinking. Get rid of the “Syria on the map” part, and I honestly think I’d do it.
I was utterly baffled to learn that there are people in the world who believe that the media was biased against Obama and that public schools are forcing Christianity and conservatism down kids’ throats.
You people are great. I just wanted to say that. It makes me happy that you exist.
Also, it makes me sad there are so few of you.
Mrs.Tardis is taking us to dinner. Good thing, I’m not driving. I love my enabler.
Have a blast! Mr. GT is my permanent designated driver. ::does “Lucky Me” dance::
Thanks. We’re an endangered species though you know, as soon as the progs assume full control, our days are numbered.
Ditto.
Have fun!
“I love my enabler.”
Enablers are the spice of life.
Off shortly to BBQ, beer, & blues in the entertainment Mecca of Richmond, IN. Hope to be back – and still conscious – in time for at least a little of the Graveyard Shift. Later!
Have a good time!!!
That’s near Indy right?
Between Indy & Dayton, right on the eastern IN state line.
OK. I grew up in Cincy, so I know Dayton well. Never been to Richmond, but been to Indy many times on flights.
Richmond is probably best known to my generation as the former home of a huge RV dealership under the name of one Tom Raper. Right up there on the billboards, right there in all the (many) commercials.
Ohhh, Tom Raper, I had forgotten STEVE SMITH had a business in Richmond!
Fun fact- I was nearly born in Glen Miller park in Richmond. Thankfully, they got me to Dayton.
Oh, wait, I lied, I have been to Richmond. It’s on 27, Northeast of Hamilton, OH.
I mean NW.
Jelly. I belong there. My irl inits are BB. I love all the B’s.
I hate everyone involved in this story
https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2019/10/camas-billionaires-firm-loses-600-million-contract-after-his-sexist-comments.html
What could possibly go wrong?
I need to start another section in my quotes book (quotes I collect). I have a “things the Royals taught me” section and a “things my contractor taught me” section and then randoms. I need a “ZeroHedge comment section wisdom” section.
“For some reason, the Elites have not learned how to destroy goodness and mercy or charity and strength. … When we practice the possible attributes of humanity, everywhere we turn, Eden awaits.”
Greetings from Hawley, PA.
Waiting for our dinner table.
https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/Jr8dY_PLRNSqUTETnvEmhw.qW7ox6cF7E8NwOTIuk3JZM
At least we have cocktails ? while waiting
Slightly better pic
https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/tPfmZDhnSn2naswBnvIjBA.UieHqVcXLIlOgdiTPEtSpR
Drinking a Coldspresso Blonde Ale by Ellicotville Brewery. 3.5 – 4.0 for a coffee beer. It’s a nice starter drink before switching to a more normal drink.
“Coldspresso Blonde Ale”
Sounds like hipster juice to me, Tulpa.
Well I’m in to far south of the Mistake by the Lake to make it the non-hipster breweries. I have to buy my beer from gas stations like all honest Ohioians do.
Oh God, another one.
Ohio eliminated the State inheritance tax and exempts business income from income tax. You’re just jealous tax cattle.
Our Kroger expanded a couple years ago and added a growler bar and a bigger craft beer selection. It’s pretty sweet.
I gotta get some of this stuff. Fuck you, Gillette.
Man Soap
Errr, I mean that shit is gay! STEVE SMITH LIKE AND BY LIKE MEAN…
wut
Barbasol should start running this ad again – Gillette would have a sad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzC47F1DTO8
fun fact: Barbasol was standard issue during WW2- the war kept them in business
He tossed the grenade toward his fellow soldiers.