A Member Of The 1% And Just Plain Stupid

I have always had a lot of empathy for anyone who serves tables at a restaurant. Even more now that my 17 year old daughter is waiting tables. It is a difficult job and many people make the lives of wait staff harder through unrealistic demands and down right stupid requests.

I once spent a lot of time with a woman who thought that wait staff were her personal whipping posts and misused them every time we went out to eat. Actually I stopped going to restaurants with her, and dating her,  after the fourth or fifth time we eat out as I could no longer put up with her behavior.

No meal came to her that was not returned to the kitchen without a complaint. Meals that had no problems were returned. It was not only embarrassing to me but disrespectful to people that were doing a very good job. It is my understanding that several restaurants have asked her not to return because of this behavior.

So when a story came across my desk about a mistreated waitress it perked my curiosity.

A waitress served lunch to two back executives without any hitches or problems. The food was well prepared and the service was excellent. As you can see from the above bill of fare $133.54 was spent on the meal.

As you review the check two things should be glaring out at you. First, the banker tipped $1.33 on a $133 check. ONE PERCENT!!

In a statement, posted at the blog Future Ex Banker, "A banker left a 1% tip in defiance of 'the 99%' at a Newport Beach restaurant the other week, according to his dining companion and underling who snapped a photo of the receipt". Future Ex Banker is the blog of this cretins lunch companion,

The blog further states, "Mention the “99%” in my boss’ presence and feel his wrath. So proudly does he wear his 1% badge of honor that he tips exactly 1% every time he feels the server doesn’t sufficiently bow down to his Holiness. Oh, and he always makes sure to include a “tip” of his own."

The "tip" of his own in this case was to tell the server to "get a real job." Read that again kiddies. This one percenter, who probably spent his morning foreclosing on someones house, not only under tipped but left an insult at the same time. The words 'what a pig' jumps into my mind.

I am not a supporter of the Occupy Movement for reasons I have stated before but I do have some sympathy for their core beliefs. I will also admit that I have leaned more toward the side of the 1 % on grounds that what a person earns, from the sweat of their labor, is theirs to use as they please.

I WAS WRONG!! I admit it now and in front of God and my readers.

While I still believe that what anyone earns is theirs to keep; I can no longer sit by and watch these self proclaimed 'American Royalty' abuse someone because they do not make a lot of money. It is a shame that the actions of a few wealthy stupid, bigoted and better than thou ground crawlers have to be the face of the 1 % but so be it. There are many wealthy Americans who would never indulge in this sort of behavior. Nor should anyone.

The blogger from Future Ex Banker explains how I feel perfectly, "I work in the corporate office of a major bank for a boss who represents everything wrong with the financial industry: blatant disregard and outright contempt for everyone and everything he deems beneath him. On top of that, he’s a complete and utter tool. At the same time, I’m still cashing paychecks, an admittedly willing—albeit reluctant—cog in the wheel of this increasingly ugly industry, so I’ve created this blog as a confessional of sorts. It won’t entirely clear my conscience, but hopefully it’ll help. I’m sure I’ll get fired eventually. Until then, enjoy."

I will follow this mans blog religiously and hopefully correspond with him on this topic.

To the credit of the restaurant that employees this waitress, True Food Kitchen, they are going to make this right for her. Many people that have responded to the blog want the restaurant to ban this customer. The manger has said that he would ban him but first he wants to have a chat with this idiot.

Oh to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.

Randy

Reasonable Accommodation~~A Human Attempt To Address Gods Little Experiments!

Simply put Reasonable Accommodation is a way of leveling the playing field for everyone. A way to make life 'fair'. Reasonable Accommodation has found its way into every aspect of our lives. Social, economic, work place, religion, physical ability and many other areas of daily life are affected.

Up front; I am not a proponent of legislating fairness. I believe that we make our lives the way they are and that if we want social or economic fairness we need to earn it. I believe that economic fairness, in most cases, is a situation that can be achieved through hard work and education. Society, much to the chagrin of that bleeding heart class of people, can not survive taking care of those who can but will not attempt to take care of themselves. Having said that, and with all of you thinking that I am a heartless bastard, I do have caveats.

Some times things happen that require human interaction to allow fairness to be applied evenly across the board. People with physical disabilities are probably in the largest category needing the application of reasonable accommodation. Through no faulty of their own they find themselves in a situation that requires a leveling of the playing field and I will be the first in line to help them achieve fairness in all aspects of their lives.

Reasonable Accommodation is a global concept with The United Nations out front pushing it. Most countries have some laws on the books in support of Reasonable Accommodation. Its scope has gone far beyond that of physical disabilities.

Being humans, and filled with more faults than one can enumerate, we need laws that push Reasonable Accommodation for religion and the work place. Trying to balance what is right for those in need of Reasonable Accommodation protection and those who need to provide it on the ground is like walking a tight rope.

The concept of Undue Hardship, balancing the needs of an entity that is responsible for providing Reasonable Accommodation with the entities needs for survival, was developed to assist in having fairness flow in all directions.

Lets say a small mom and pop store has a job opening and has a person with a physical disability apply for that job. They are qualified and the business wants to hire them. This particular business is located in an an older building that needs some construction to make access for a physically disabled employee to be accommodated. But the changes are expensive and beyond the reach of this particular business.

The question is, does a business have to go broke making changes that will meet the Reasonable Accommodation test? The simple answer is no.  By law they could be exempted form these changes while still employing the person in question. It is fair that the physically challenged person has been hired and it is also fair that the business can hire them without suffering financial hardship.

That is a quite simple example but I think you will get the idea. The key here is that a level of fairness is achieved.

Extending the Reasonable Accommodation concept to the religious or even political areas is made necessary because we are humans and in being human we tend to try and impose our will on others.

Left to our own devices stronger humans would force their wills upon the weaker ones. One does not have to read beyond the headlines to see the truth in that statement.

I believe that a level playing field is the right of everyone as long as those that take advantage of the Reasonable Accommodation concept actually need the assistance.

Those that can do for themselves need to get off their collective ass and join the rest of us making our own way in the world.

Randy

Restless Delusions!!

Walking along a grassy path after the road had run out I find myself wandering between two rows of trees. I am sure that they are fruit trees but I can not recognize them or the fruit that is hanging ripe from their branches. I am further confused because the fruit seems bountiful but the trees have no leaves.

I am walking with someone. No idea who. They are talking to me and I am answering but I seem to not understand what they are saying or what I am replying. They seem to understand the conversation perfectly.

Every so often we come upon a different kind of tree mixed into the rows of trees at haphazard positions. In the branches of these new trees are no fruit but lying or growing in their branches are mushroom caps. Mushroom caps that are inverted with their concave side facing upward. No mushroom stem is visible.

What I do see is small birds, of indiscriminate type, nesting within the mushroom caps. These birds are flying in and out of their nests feeding their young.

I hear someone, not my companion, telling me that these mushroom caps are valuable and that I should collect them. I am also told to be careful because these small delicate birds would attack me when I try to retrieve the mushroom caps.

I slowly start to climb one of these trees and start to reach for a mushroom. One of the birds sees me and transforms into a giant bird with frightening beak and talons.

Just as it begins to attack; I wake up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seems that with age I dream less frequently. Now my dreams come to me on nights when I am restless and worried about something. Or, as in the past month, when I am loaded with medication from my illness.

Last night I was neither restless, worried or medicated. That is why this dream is so surprising. I have not the slightest idea how to interpret this dream. Am I in search  of something? Who is my companion? Why can I not understand the conversation? Who is telling me about the value of the mushrooms? Why are the birds represented as they are?

I am sure a psychiatrist/psychologist would have a field day with an interpretation here. Personally I do not get upset when I have a dream of this nature as with some rational thought I can get a grasp on the cause and work out a course correction.

I have always believed that dreams are our subconscious telling us that there is a situation that needs our attention. Honestly I am at a loss with this dream.

I am at a point in my life where I am quite happy, in a very good relationship, writing better than ever and drawing closer to my family.

So why a dream that is so vivid and realistic?

I found a site that gives meanings/interpretations to key things found in our dreams. I am not sure that I agree with what is laid out at the site but lets look at them.

Trees - To see bare trees in your dream indicate used up energy. You have put your all into some relationship or project and now you are exhausted. Perhaps you are even feeling depressed. Alternatively, the dream signifies the cycle of life or the passage of time.

Mushrooms - To see mushrooms in your dream signify unhealthy pleasures and unwise decisions in your waking life. Things that come too quickly have a tendency to disappear just as quick. Learn to appreciate the things you have.

Birds - To see a bird nest in your dream symbolizes independence, refuge and security. You need something to fall back on. Alternatively, it may signify a prosperous endeavor, new opportunities, and fortune.

Talking - To dream that you are talking does not have any significance unless it is unusual or bizarre. What are you saying specifically. Consider also if what you say evoke strong feelings or behavioral reactions. The dream may simply be highlighting your need improve your communication skills or learn to express yourself more clearly.

Grass - To see green grass in your dream suggests that there is a part of yourself that you can always rely on. The dream is also symbolic of natural protection. Also consider the phrase "the grass is always greener on the other side." Do you always compare yourself with others and look at what other people have?

You have to know who you are talking to to get an interpretation of what they mean to the dream. My companion was indescribable.

So if we were to use the above interpretations as a guide my dream may have meant that I am tired, unhealthy, looking for a fall back, in need of improved communication and a loner who is in need of

finding ways to validate my life.

HMMMM!!

Lets see; I am tired and unhealthy as I am just now getting over bouts of bronchitis and pneumonia. I am looking for alternate income sources to supplement my retirement. I am, at times, a lousy verbal communicator which is why I use my writing to communicate for me. And finally I am a loner and validating my life seems to be a driving force for me.

Welcome to my world kiddies, lol. I am not sure that I believe my dream interpretation and I am sure it could be interpreted in a million different ways. It was fun to take a stab at trying to understand what I dreamed.

Or it could have been caused by the wonderful but very spicy Indian food I had for lunch yesterday.

Randy

An Enemy Lurks Within Our Country That Is So Vile It Will End Our Country As We Know It!

For 100 years we have let this organization expand and grow right under our noses. The effect on our young, especially young girls, has been devastating and will lead to our downfall as a major world power.

Under the guise of a youth organization they have peddled a drug to us that each year millions of Americans line up for and buy at any price.  I have seen with own eyes the devastating affect this drug has on our population when it is not readily available.

But one Indiana lawmaker is speaking out for all of us who are to weak from consuming this life altering hallucinogen. Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne)  has stepped up to try and stop this menace and save us from a horrible fate.

That's right!1 The Girl Scouts are secretly plotting the downfall of our great nation by feeding us cookies that make us lose control and give up our freedoms.

Their plot is insidious according to Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne). "Morris said he found online allegations that the Girl Scouts are a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood, encourage sex and allow transgender females to join. He also wrote that the fact that first lady Michelle Obama is honorary president should give lawmakers pause before they endorse the Girl Scouts."

OMG!! This plot goes all the way to the White House. I have been diligently searching each of the 30 boxes, of what I know realize is a drug being used to control my behavior, for condoms and Planned Parenthood propaganda.

I am searching the Internet for Mrs Obama's fingerprints on this plot and for the smoking cookie I know has to be in her possession.

Rep. Morris goes further with his allegations. "Morris goes on to say those considered role models by the Girl Scouts are all "feminists, lesbians, or Communists" and claims that troops are no longer allowed to pray or sing Christmas Carols."

The indoctrination of our young women is appalling. Morris even revealed that 'transgendered children' were being recruited to further degrade our way of life.

Look at this group of criminals in the making. I believe the one in the 'duck costume' is the ring leader.

Lets take this by the numbers: 1. Rep Morris should be voted out of office as soon as possible and replaced with someone that actually is from this planet. The man is a blight on the fabric that makes up The United States.

2. His wife should divorce him NOW so his two daughters have a chance to grow to be normal women who are not stuck in their fathers fantasy.

3. The Republican Party should distance themselevs from those that have caught his disease and repeat any of this bull.

Finally, and how do I put this gently so as not to upset that segment of society that lives with a freaking tree(not a stick) up their over sized ass; homosexuality is not a choice but it is a fact.

What is a choice is to be STUPID or not. It seems that some segments of the American public CHOOSE to be stupid. The real crime in all their chosen stupidity is that they infect their own children and plant their ignorant fantasies on their children firtile fields.

It is to bad that Stupidity is not a reason to have Social Services step in and save these children. Stupidity is every bit a destructive drug as cocain.

Randy

What Are You Willing To Do To Ensure Your Childrens Success?

What Are You Willing To Do To Ensure Your Childrens Success?

A very good question that every parent and parent want to be needs to ask themselves. The answer for me has always been easy. I would and have done anything necessary to teach them to be self sufficient and responsible. To give them what ever they need to succeed in life.

But when I read these stories about parents who do nothing for their children beyond dropping them into the world it sickens me. We are in a constant argument about when life begins so we can try and solve our abortion issues but we never seem to want to discuss when our childrens 'independent lives' start.

What is worse many people want to have children and care little about the futures that face those children. Weak parental responsibility has been the foundation for several generations of weak citizens. This coupled with the governments willingness to continue fostering dependence rather than teach independence and responsibility may be the fodder that brings down this great country.

Primo Carnera was a boxer who once held the Worlds Heavy Weight Title. He was also the only person to also hold the World Wrestling Title. But it is not his athletic career that I want to talk about. I want to talk about Primo Carnera the man, the husband and the father.

Primo was raised poor during WWI. In his words "I was always hungry". Hunger is a motivator for many people.

He was not an educated man but he understood what was important in life. He understood, as my parents understand, that each generation of a family should strive to do better than the last generation. He knew that it was the responsibility of his generation to lay the ground work for the sucess of his decendents.

No Primo Carnera was not an educated man but he held wisdom beyond education. He knew how life should work and his place in the sceme of that life.

I have taken so many blows in my life. So many.. But I'd do it again. Because all the blows I got helped my kids to study.~~Primo Carnera

Primo took what God had given him, size and desire to succeed, and parlayed that into a future for his family. It was not an easy road. Stepping into the ring with men intent on destroying him, bout after bout, he forged his families future with every punch he took.

He made sure that the sacrifices he made, and I am sure shortened his life, counted toward a better future for his children.

It worked!! He has two children that he can look down at and see the results of his sacrifice. His son Umberto is a physician and his daughter Giovanna is a psycholgist.

It would not have made a difference if Primo was a world class boxer or a person who boxed groceries because his desire, his understanding of parental responsibility and his outlook on life would have driven him to do what ever it takes to give his children a chance.

There are millions of parents like Primo Carnera struggling with providing for their children and they will succeed. It is all worth it.

It is infortunate that some parents are not willing to help their own children succeed. I am not a proponent of the 'It takes a village' train of thought but in this case, in any case, where children's futures are involved that village needs to step up.

Randy

Blue Laws~~Misguided Religious Influence!

When I first moved to North Carolina, in 1986, 'Blue Laws' were in their waining years but were still alive and kicking. Recently I sided with religious organizations and churches over their fight with President Obama over contraception but my hate for these antiquated Blue Laws is a well know fact among people who know me.

A blue law is a type of law, typically found in the United States and, formerly, in Canada, designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping. Most have been repealed, have been declared unconstitutional, or are simply unenforced.

Where I live in North Carolina business was shut down on Sunday and on Wednesday afternoons so people could attend to their spiritual lives.

Simply put, in most places in the south, Blue Laws were an attempt by religious organizations to control peoples religious behavior.

So how do laws like this get passed? Personally I believe that two factors play into their passage. First, many ministers here are activist and run for elected office. Once elected they use their elected office to advance their religious agenda.

Secondly, Ministers, being such a revered member of a community and many times leaders of large congregations, were and still are to some extent feared by their congregants. With the fear of damnation hanging over ones head convincing congregants to vote your way was an easy task.

I experienced the strength, albeit misguided, of ministers in our area in the late 1980's. I lived in a county where liquor by the drink was illegal to sell. People still had to carry a bottle into a place, by the setups(mixers) and consume the entire bottle before they left or have it tossed out. A recipe for drunk drivers for sure.

Late in the 80's our local state representatives pushed a liquor by the drink law through the state legislature. When it passed quite a few business said that they would open in  town, including restaurants, a mall and hotels.

This particular law was unconstitutional as it did require a vote of the people. Our ministers knew this and sued getting the law over turned but the state legislature did call for a vote. So for several months we went back to our old ways while we all waited to vote. This vote broke the stranglehold ministers had on their congregants as liquor by the drink was overwhelmingly passed.

But the result of this several month delay cost us most of that new business and many jobs. A shame as soon after we lost our manufacturing base and are now experiencing high unemployment.

'Separation of Church and State' is a two way street. If churches want the government to stay out of their pews then churches need to stay out of the business of influencing law.

I realize that it would be naive of me to think that either group would tend to their own gardens and stop poaching across each others fences. One can only hope!!

Randy

What Is A Factoid And Why The Hell Should We Care About Them?

I have been told that 'factoids' are like the hemorrhoids of the information age. Now that is just plain silly. They are more like the dingle berry's of the information age; always dandling around and only noticed when they become significant.

The dictionary definition for factoid is 1. an insignificant or trivial fact or 2. something fictitious or unsubstantiated that is presented as fact, devised especially to gain publicity and accepted because of constant repetition.


I would present to you a third possibility. A factoid is information that is floating around, is true but is also inconvenient to the present belief structure. Under this definition I have questions that I want answered .

1. Is it true that most of what Americans spend their money on is made in China?
2. Is it true that we owe most of our debt to China?
3. Is it true that we get most of our oil from the Middle East?


These three questions are core beliefs for Americans. Most of us believe that China owns us, that our purchases are flooded with Chinese goods and that the Middle East supplies us with the majority of our oil supplies.

It is time for a reality check!!!

Fact: Just 2.7% of personal consumption expenditures go to Chinese-made goods and services. 88.5% of U.S. consumer spending is on American-made goods and services.

This information comes from a Federal Reserve report.  From the Bureau of Labor Statistics; Chinese imports still account for just a small fraction of U.S. spending. Just 6.4% of non durable goods -- things like food, clothing and toys -- purchased in the U.S. are made in China; 76.2% are made in America. For durable goods -- things like cars and furniture -- 12% are made in China; 66.6% are made in America.

Fact: China owns 7.6% of U.S. government debt outstanding.

That is a far cry from being owned by China. Does China own a lot of our debt? Yes, but it's a qualified yes. Of all Treasury debt held by foreigners, China is indeed the largest owner ($1.13 trillion), followed by Japan ($1 trillion) and the U.K. ($429 billion).

So who owns the rest of our debt. Well, The largest holder of U.S. debt is the federal government itself. Various government trust funds like the Social Security trust fund own about $4.4 trillion worth of Treasury securities. The Federal Reserve owns another $1.6 trillion.

The interest we are paying on the debt owned by the Federal Government is paid directly back to our own treasury. Do you see the problem here. We are borrowing from ourselves to pay ourselves back.

Fact: Just 9.8% of oil consumed in the U.S. comes from the Middle East.

According the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. consumes 19.2 million barrels of petroleum products per day. Of that amount, a net 49% is produced domestically. The rest is imported.

Of the oil imported from the Persian Gulf region -- which includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates -- made up 9.8% of total petroleum supplied to the United. States.

The U.S. imports more than twice as much petroleum from Canada and Mexico than it does from the Middle East. Add in the share produced domestically, and the majority of petroleum consumed in the U.S. comes from North America.

All these figures change yearly and I urge you all to check the governments own numbers and judge for yourselves.

This information has been available for years and has been floating around for years. We have become so bombarded by information about China, in regard to debt and consumption, and the Middle East, in regard to oil imports, that we have begun to believe our own propaganda.

There are truths dangling about in our little factoids of information but we, as citizens, have to do our homework to determine those truths.

Randy