H2O, It was service already rendered; the majority of times, the tip is 20% and adjusted according to the skill of the server.
The "stimulus package" was a joke; according to the government stats, it didn't meet the expectations for the tax rebates - they had "hoped."
What a bunch of dorks who thinks a very short-term tax give-a-way that only increases the national debt will spur our economy back into recovery. More money into the system without any products or services to support it only increases inflation.
People need jobs! Can't they see what everybody else sees? Layoffs by the thousands, and those with jobs, their hours are being cut back/shortened that reduces their take-home pay. Inflation on food and fuel has already exacted the damage to many families, and retail sales are dropping so dramatically, more of them are going out of business. You don't cure these kinds of problem with a $600 check.
Jobs is the only answer, and that's not in the near future whether McCain or Obama takes over in January.
We can start the recovery by replacing all of congress.
cicerone imposter wrote:The "stimulus package" was a joke; according to the government stats, it didn't meet the expectations for the tax rebates - they had "hoped."
What a bunch of dorks who thinks a very short-term tax give-a-way that only increases the national debt will spur our economy back into recovery. More money into the system without any products or services to support it only increases inflation.
People need jobs! Can't they see what everybody else sees? Layoffs by the thousands, and those with jobs, their hours are being cut back/shortened that reduces their take-home pay. Inflation on food and fuel has already exacted the damage to many families, and retail sales are dropping so dramatically, more of them are going out of business. You don't cure these kinds of problem with a $600 check.
Jobs is the only answer, and that's not in the near future whether McCain or Obama takes over in January.
We can start the recovery by replacing all of congress.
If the stimulus package didnt work, why do the dems want to do it again?
cicerone imposter wrote:okie wrote:Do Tell, cyclops! You are full of such intricate knowledge of such complex issues, it amazes me! Up until now, I had no clue what a tip was.
okie, I now understand why you post such stupid ideas; you make tipping complex when in fact it's one of life's simple issues. The amount of my tips may just be an average, but it's adjusted according to the service I receive. Nothing difficult about it!
I am thrilled to know now that both cyclops and ci understand tips, so they can explain it to the rest of us.
Only geniuses understand it you know.
Anybody on this forum that does not understand tips, ask ci and cyclops.
okie wrote:cicerone imposter wrote:okie wrote:Do Tell, cyclops! You are full of such intricate knowledge of such complex issues, it amazes me! Up until now, I had no clue what a tip was.
okie, I now understand why you post such stupid ideas; you make tipping complex when in fact it's one of life's simple issues. The amount of my tips may just be an average, but it's adjusted according to the service I receive. Nothing difficult about it!
I am thrilled to know now that both cyclops and ci understand tips, so they can explain it to the rest of us.
Only geniuses understand it you know.
Anybody on this forum that does not understand tips, ask ci and cyclops.
Quit being an ass. You're the one who gave CI a hard time about how he tips, saying that you always tip whether they do a good job or not.
Cycloptichorn
Under-employment is as big a problem as unemployment.
Cycloptichorn
American Economy is fACING ITS NATURAL DEATH:
Rama
okie, This is a tipping guide for foreigners visiting the US, but you fit the bill as a foreigner - in more ways than one.
**********
How To Tip
For employees in some service industries it is common and expected practice to offer a tip on top of the bill as long as service is not below average. Following are some common tipping guidelines:
* waiters: 15-17% of bill before tax, 20% at a 5-star restaurant or for large parties (at a fancy restaurant check to make sure service is not included in the bill)
* taxi drivers: 15% of total bill, no less than 25 cents
* hairdressers: 15%
* shampooer: $1-$2
* pizza deliveryperson: $1-2 for short distance, $2-3 for longer distance
* airport skycap - $1-2 per bag
* bellhop: $10 for carrying luggage, $5 for showing you to your room
* room service: 15% of the bill
* furniture delivery - $5-10 minimum, up to $20 for very heavy or large items
Useful Links:
For more info, visit Tipping.org, a complete web guide to tipping.
Does anyone care about the direction of US Economy?
A Hidden Toll on Employment: Cut to Part Time
By PETER S. GOODMAN
The number of Americans who have seen their full-time jobs
chopped to part time because of weak business has swelled
to the largest figure since the government began tracking
such data.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/business/economy/31jobs.html?th&emc=th
What the government unemployment number do not reflect
Ending, perhaps, the diversion into food service and tipping:
I listen to an NPR show called The Story. One of the guests today, as coincidence would have it, was a guy who could best be described as a professional waiter. He had written in to complain about an earlier show in which waiting on tables had been derided as being "a dead end job" or "not a real job" by a self-important guest.
He got into waiting tables when he finished high school and, despite having earned two college degrees, keeps coming back to it because he enjoys making people happy and because of what he described as the near instant-gratification of knowing whether he was succesful. People come in and then leave an hour or two later and he finds out how well he met their expectations.
He said he makes $60,000 a year plus he gets a good health insurance plan from the place in FL he has been for the last 6 years. I have heard the name of the chain but have not seen it in print. Phonetically, it is something like "Ruth Crist Steakhouse." Yall know it?
He talked about working in another place in Aspen where, somewhat regularly, a Saudi prince and his entourage would come in. The bill would come to $2,000 and the prince would leave a 300% tip in $100 bills.
Ruth's Chris steakhouse. We have 'em in Texas. Good quality slabs o' beef. Pricey. I can easily see a good waiter making that at one of their shops.
Here in SF, many waiters make that much; professional table-waiting at high-end restaurants is a lucrative business.
Cycloptichorn
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse is a national chain. I've seen their restaurants advertised in flight magazines, but have never been to one.
The best steak I've ever eaten was in Argentina.
I'm hungry for some beef, all of a sudden.
as the saying goes : THERE'S A SILVERLINING IN EVERY CLOUD !
Quote:
Lobster prices fall in Maine, costing no more than sliced turkey
i'm sure we'll be heading to maine come september - and we will NOT be eating turkey ! :wink:
read complete article :
LOBSTER DINNER
Just some thoughts:
As our country begins to feel the impact of the higher cost of fuel and food, the loss of value on our homes, stretching budgets by cutting our visits to the stores for shopping and restaurants, the increase in the loss of jobs with higher unemployment, and our country remains engaged in Iraq at a cost of some 2.7 billion dollars every week, as tax revenue continues to decrease, and our federal deficit increases, what is exactly in store for us for the long term?
I wonder who amongst us still feel that terrorism is our number one priority?
I would think it's about our economic health, our physical health, and the future of our children that matters.
Our country better wake up soon or the depth of our misery will last much longer than a few presidential terms.
The best steak I have ever had was off my brother in law's grill. No waiter or tips required, thanks. And no ridiculous eating out bill. Anyone that values not being robbed these days will not venture inside alot of pricey sit down restaurants. I have eaten at supposedly superb steak places, but none as good as off the grill as described. He knows the right store to get the best meat, and how to marinate them, and then barbecue at just the right temp for just the right time each side, and contrary to most steaks gotten other places, they require no steak sauce to taste good.
My wife and I eat at McDonalds, Sonic, Taco Bell, Subway, and other places like that anymore.
All joking aside from the banter with you ci, I have come to expect to tip reasonably, but truth is, tipping is a racket, plain and simple, and the people should get a living wage without having to rely on tipping, but the establishments are too cheap to do it that way, because the practice has become institutionalized.
Yup, tipping is a racket.
In other news,
Quote:Citigroup faces securities probe
Citigroup has received subpoenas from agencies in New York and Texas
Citigroup has revealed that it is the subject of an investigation by the US financial regulator into whether it broke securities law.
The inquiry centres on the sale and marketing of auction-rate securities, a form of bond often used by municipal authorities to raise funds.
Regulators are looking into whether their risk was mis-stated.
The banking giant said it and other unnamed firms had received subpoenas from agencies in a number of states.
These include New York, Texas and Massachusetts.
It disclosed the actions in its regular quarterly filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Citigroup declined to comment on its discussions with regulators, but in a statement it said: "Since the beginning of the Auction Rate Securities liquidity crisis Citi has worked diligently with issuers, investors and regulatory authorities to obtain liquidity for holders of illiquid ARS."
The company has so far revealed $40bn (£20bn) of losses on its investments linked to the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market and the global credit crunch.
It has lost more on these investments than any other financial institution.
Not good for them.
Cycloptichorn
citi Bank was another one that I had a IRA investment in that tanked big time; it was committed for one year, and the financial adviser at citi Bank recommended an investment even though I told her my investment needs were "conservative." Within a few months, it lost over five percent, so I told her to transfer it into a money market IRA account that I cashed in a couple of month's ago. I've been keeping track of that investment to see what happened after I removed my money from it.
It's lost more than 22% so far, and I'm sure it's tied to the citi Bank's securities probe.
Needless to say, we'll never have our money at citi in the future.
We have most of our cash at Washington Mutual which also has its share of money problems. When I transferred my IRA cash from citi to Wamu, they put a hold on the cash for over two weeks even though checks clears the banking system in three work days. At this point, we owe Wamu more than the amount of cash we have with them, so I'm not too worried. Also, our cash is FDIC insured up to $100,000+.
