Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Definition of ‘Tips’

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During the short duration of the pandemic, it would seem the definition as well as the customs of ‘tips’ have changed. Don’t get me wrong. I do believe there are segments of our society who have and should receive tips. However, regardless, tips are not earned simply by being present. By past customs, tips were based on quality of service, not on the quality of the product. For instance, quality of food can not be effected significantly by a waitress.

As we exited the pandemic, it seems they had some success in changing that. Repeatedly, I have entered restaurants lately where tips are expected, regardless of the quality of service or even if there were services rendered. Even more, they want to collect tips before any service at all. How is it that I am supposed to base the tip on quality of service under such conditions, that is, unless I am somehow able to predict the future.

Maybe some ought to be aware that, before the pandemic, a 20% tip was pretty rare. It certainly was not the norm of the day. Nowadays, expectations start at 20% and go up and up. I have no idea how that happened. Many of us are not made of money. 20% tips just might mean a family of 4 or 5 will be eating at home, which will only reduce tip income even more. However, it certainly does not stop there.

My wife and I survive almost totally on Social Security and I am sure there are those who are worse off than we are. Should we be expected to pay 20%, or even 10% when we have to virtually beg for reasonable service. (In one case, we had to wait 30 minutes after getting out meal to get a knife and fork to eat it with. Is there maybe a reason that waitress not get any gratuity?) Should we tip at all when the only service rendered is nothing more than a beverage.

Then too, what about the family with sudden unexpected expenses. There may be medical and or hospital expenses. Just as a reminder, colleges cost can make a poor man out of almost any father. Regardless of the reason, are we going to expect the people with temporary setbacks to continue to tip at a rate of 20%.

Regardless, as I remember it, tips are not mandatory, at least not normally. Some restaurants have actually made the tip part of the bill. Incidentally, I never went to such a place nor will you ever find me in such a place, even should I suddenly become a millionaire. I still maintain that, no matter what, tips should never be mandatory. It does go contrary to my belief that a tip should be voluntary and dependent the quality of service.

I suspect those restaurants will not miss me. There do seem to be many who are willing and able to meet and exceed the new expectations. Just don’t include me amongst them. I would hope and guess that many others would take my stance. I would trust that no one would try to alter that.

And, yes I am cheap. To separate me from my money, you will have to earn it.

Government Paychecks

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I guess I was in high school when it first occurred to me about folks drawing paychecks directly from the government. Many more draw their pay indirectly from the government, such as working for companies deriving the majority of their income from the government.

Many will ask why it should make a difference. Others will suggest it is a good and honest way to make a living. I guess to some degree both are true. However, I like to consider it scaled down.

Consider, a town of 100. Would it be a good thing that 50 of them draw paychecks from the other 50? Is it a good thing that only 50 of them do productive work?

I am being extreme, of course in making my point. It just is that with the small numbers, it is easier to comprehend what happens when someone draws a government paycheck.

The fact is, big government is expensive. Extremely big government is extremely expensive.

I look around and what I see, is extremely big government. To some, it might not seem so but we must remember, every person deriving a paycheck from the government means more taxes. That is to say, the others of us must provide for them, food, shelter, and so forth.

Certainly, some things must be done by governments. Consider The Department of Education. It has 4400 employees and a budget of 68 billion. Why? How many of them stand in a classroom and teaches… or makes a measurable contribution. I truly suspect that if the entire department went away, hardly anyone would notice. Well the National Education Association to be sure. The two of them are joined at the hip.

The thing is, it doesn’t stop there. There is no telling how many people work in each state for some kind of education department. Let’s multiply that by 50 fifty and we’re talking a bunch of people.

Then each county and each major city has their education system. At this point we are likely talking a bunch of folks who make their living educating our children and none enters a classroom.

Actually The Department of Education is a relatively small department. At every level, city, county, state and federal governments we have, law enforcement, courts and lawyers, again multiplied by fifty.

As an aside, what physical product do the lobbyists produce? Oh. That’s right, none. They’re in essence a bunch of parasites making a fortune in bribery. Going back to our little 100 person community, just what purpose would they have there?

Yet, if we ask every government employee at every level to justify his job, they would all be ready with an answer. Well, almost all of them.

Romney’s Right for the Wrong Reason

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Romney made a statement that Old Joe should have pardoned President Trump long ago. He thinks that it is a distinction and everyone already knows he’s guilty.

The truth is, Biden is the initiator of all the persecutions and it has done nothing but helped Trump. Even more, Old Joe and all his minions are going to look really bad with all those figurative eggs over their faces if Trump remain un-convicted of all charges.

THAT will NOT go well for Old Joe in the upcoming election.

I don’t know how to say this

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Seems to me we had something of an agreement. Two bills were passed. One was for aid to Israel the other for aid to Ukraine. Now, just how is it that the one for Ukraine counts but the one for Israel doesn’t?

Can it be…can it there be a possibility that Old Joe ain’t so trustworthy? I mean the occupier of the Oval Office just, well, he reneged on his word.

Now, that just can’t be. I mean, that would involve a person taking the oath of office for President of the United States said or implied one thing and is doing another.

Now, I can’t speak for all citizens of this country but I consider it an embarrassment at all levels for the US and for the office that Old Joe is misrepresenting both to the nation and the world.

This is just so horrible; I just don’t know how I can properly say it.

The Experts

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I actually did have some college. I had 1 semester in electronics, in which I carried a B+ average. I really should have stuck it out but there was a lot going on back then an I ended up in the Marines. There were downsides, but the Marines did give me the equivalent of a 2 year degree in electronics. By the way, they did teach me a few other things too, such as how to shoot.

Going back to the college, I had a teacher that said a thing that really stuck with me. He said that an expert is someone who knows a whole lot about very little. His argument, of course, was that we should never zero in so much on learning one thing such that we remain ignorant in all others.

It is so true and, as I go through life, it only becomes clearer to me how true it is.

However, it is also true about turning things over to so-called experts, people who know a whole lot about so little. So I ask, are teachers experts? Have they become highly knowledgeable on teaching while not really knowing what they should teach and why.

I have seen teachers I could not understand. I have seen English teachers that sent notes to parents with subject verb disagreements. My son’s teacher accused him of losing a book later found in the teacher’s lounge. Now just what does all this teach our kids?

We have turned our government over to experts who know how to write laws without knowing what kind of laws are needed. Some of them have never run a business or even held down a real job. A great many of them don’t understand the basics, such as the law of supply and demand.

Some experts seem to think they know about gender changes when they never learned the difference between wrong and right.

As you can well imagine I can go on, but you get my point, or I hope you do. I suppose you might be one who wants to turn the world over to a bunch of people who have a great deal of knowledge on very little.

Second Notice?

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My wife received a very official looking letter in the mail today. It had what appeared to be a very official Medicare document. They wanted to know this and they wanted to know that. In return, they promised special Medicare benefits. However, they didn’t fool me for a second. Over the years, I have learned their methods and their tricks.

Besides, they spelled her name wrong.

Hunter Biden Might Want to Verify His Passport

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Old Joe might not be able to help him with a pardon. If Old Joe’s polls drop much more, the dems just might decide to give Joe the heave-ho & without much of a warning. If that happens, Hunter might decide to head north, out of the easy reach of the law. He will need current passport and visa.

On the other hand, Canada is awfully liberal these days. They just might be persuaded to overlook such details. That means, he’ll be fine with just a fast plane.

As an aside, Canada will be really glad to get him, considering his oil company management abilities.

Does That Include Tomatoes

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I have heard that some folks say tomatoes are not fruits but veggies. I don’t know. I’ll just call them fruits for now. They are very good you know, on salads, hamburgers and sandwiches. Don’t tell anyone, but sometimes I simply chop them up and eat the pieces. Sometimes I eat them with my sausages and eggs for breakfast. It sort of depends on if I have any.

I have tried to grow them. I’ve been told it is easy. That, I guess, makes me a total failure as a farmer. With two plants I had two decent sized tomatoes. They were pretty good though. There is something to be said about a tomato fresh picked.

The place I lived out in California had a banana tree that grew small bananas. They were small but they were very good. Again, It’s likely because it is right off the tree. I do believe bananas are best on cereal. When I use bananas, I don’t use sugar at all on my cornflakes.

Strawberries are great. A neighbor had a patch of them and let me pick one now and then. It spoiled me. I like store bought berries but I miss the neighbor’s berries better. We tried one year to grow them. End of story.

Love grapes in almost any form. I eat them off the clusters as raisins and in grape juice. Well, I drink the juice. You get the idea.

As I mentioned before, I really like pineapples on pizzas. My wife does like to steal them all, so I have to be fast. They are also good on ham and slow cooked chicken. Occasionally, I’ll eat a few pieces by themselves, but I am not one who for things with strong flavors.

Now, let me see. I think that is already five but let me add one more. We used to have an orange tree in our backyard when I lived in orange county. Now, isn’t that something. Good food on the tree. All I had to do was reach up and pick it. The only work was peeling it. I did get good at it. I had lots of practice.

There was a small problem though. Every time I bit into it, I got the juice all over my hands and face. I guess, I am just one of those complainers. Always have to find something to complain about.

Daily writing prompt
List your top 5 favorite fruits.
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Prison for Punishment

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Somewhere over the decades, the so-called experts stopped thinking of imprisonment as punishment. The jails and prisons are more hospitable. Many criminal types actually have learned to like prisons.

Why not. There is no more hard work. They all have radios and TV. The food might not be five star, but it’s basically free. The medical isn’t the best, but they don’t pay a dime for it. Moreover, they get transplants and sex charges for nothing.

No prisoner ever needs to concern himself about a roof over his head or a place to rest his head.

More and more I have to ask myself, just what is the hope of imprisonment, punishment or reward.

There was an “expert” on the news this morning hinting that, not only do the prisons not work, but they are getting overcrowded. To me that makes sense. Prisons are no longer something to fear or even dislike.

It is important to remember, there are 4 purposes for prisons. Punishment, deterrent, rehabilitate and, keep civilization safe from criminals. It seems everyone nowadays want to remember rehabilitate and forget the other 3. For sure, if the prisons were enough of a deterrent, there would be no problem with overcrowding.

As a side note, if we have schools teaching that men are just a little more than apes, why should anyone have any respect for anyone else. What benefits are there for treating our fellow man like anything more than a dog? Indeed, some folks do have more respect for dogs.