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Former Female Staffer Alleges Sexism at 'Letterman' Office {Popeater}
Oct 27th 2009 4:44PM As opposed to men who get turned down by women and then fire them for phony "work related" reasons?
Would you tip this hotel housekeeper? {WalletPop}
Oct 12th 2009 12:03PM Unfortunately, we have allowed the industry to get away with paying unconscionably low wages to service staff by subsidizing the industry with our tips. A tip is not actually an "extra bonus" to the employee, it is a gift to the employer. That the food service and hospitality industries are allowed to pay such extremely low wages is a disgrace. The poor employee is in the middle, by not tipping, we undoubtedly deprive them of badly needed funds. But, by tipping we encourage the immoral and greedy behavior of the industry. What I pay for a meal or a hotel room should reflect all the costs plus a reasonable profit. A tip should be a reward for exceptional service, not a semi-mandatory surcharge. That said, I do tip, and do so as generously as my finances permit.
Resveratrol sellers sued by Dr. Oz and Oprah {WalletPop}
Oct 10th 2009 3:28PM An offer can be incredible, and a person can be incredulous, but an offer cannot be incredulous. Incredulous is an adjective descriptive of a person who cannot believe something, incredible is an adjective descriptive of something that cannot be believed. Therefore, the adjective in the phrase, "... "charging incredulous fees," should have been written, "incredible fees" since it is not possible for a fee to believe or disbelieve anything. It is very sad that those charged with writing these stories are not expected to use proper grammar and accurate vocabulary.
Euna Lee's Daughter Worries Mommy Will Leave Again {ParentDish}
Aug 13th 2009 2:59PM The hubris of those who set themselves up as judges of what a parent, (read mother only) can do or not do is beyond the pale. What about the female workers in the World Trade Center? Were they bad parents for being in such a dangerous place? What about the women who work in NYC now that it has been attacked? What about the women who work in schools after Columbine? Should female parents stay in the house unless they are assured that there is no possibility that they will be injured, kidnapped or killed? Perhaps they should wear birquas and remain in the house unless granted permission by the male parent and accompanied by a male relative. Keep it up folks, soon you too can live in the 13th century.
Toddlers on the Brink: Worst Tantrums Ever {ParentDish}
Aug 2nd 2009 7:26PM I was the oldest of 26 grandchildren, and later had children of my own. Today's parents have been brainwashed and bullied into thinking that if they don't tolerate bad behavior from their children they are somehow "damaging" thier little psyches. The process does not start at the supermarket or the clothing store. It starts at home when children are taught to say please and thank you, when they don't leave the table without asking to be excused, when they learn not to interrupt the conversations of others, when they learn that they are not the natural center of everyone's attention. It continues when they cannot expect their parents to criticize the teacher when there is a discipline issue at school, when they are not immediately told they are right in any conflict with another child, when they equate love with things, or money, or constant approval. It goes further when they learn that they are accountable for their own actions, when they do not get the toy or candy bar, when they are removed from the scene of their misbehavior and informed that they were removed because their behavior was unacceptable. When parents learn to respect the rights of others who must suffer from their children's tantrums, and teach their children that they must also respect the rights of others, these rampant tantrums will become the rare happenings that they once were.
Elderly shopaholic found dead under pile of clothes {WalletPop}
Jul 30th 2009 3:34PM Do we leave our right to decide how and where we will spend our money at the retirement party. Why is everyone so anxious to take over decision making for others? If we look at the number of foreclosures, loan defaults, and bankruptcies, there is ample reason to think that many, if not most seniors would do a better job of directing their juniors' spending and saving habits.
Oh yes, let's put a cap on advertising, direct folks to "approved" activities deemed suitable to their age an station in life, and officially* ration health care. Let's also prohibit any and all indulgence in alcohol or tobacco not only to those under 21, but also to those over 65 because it might be bad for them. We can then usher them all into a nice "home" where they can sit on lovely park benches and feed pigeons or make pot holders. If we continue on this trend, we might actually achieve a society similar in some aspects to Logan's Run.
For Pete's sake folks, get your nose out of other people's business. Unless a person is clearly incompetent, let them live as they wish. There is no indication that this woman did anything more bizarre than shop to excess. Had she discarded her purchases, nobody would have noticed. Why is she a shopaholic while the looney "Housewives of (fill in the blank) who mindlessly throw money around in a manner worthy of Marie Antoinette are "reality" stars?
Lawyers apply for a $30,000 (fake) job {WalletPop}
Jun 25th 2009 7:57PM The applicants were probably relatively new lawyers with huge student loans to pay off. While major industries and banks can go belly up while paying huge sums to CEO's and other high ranking folk, and while the government gives billions to those same banks and industries, the average person is struggling to put food on the table.
Interestingly, businesses have no problem declaring bankruptcy to avoid paying millions or even billions in debts incurred while management stuffed their pockets with cash and goodies, but the student who paid for an education with "Financial Aid" cannot relieve that debt through bankruptcy. When a desperate student contacts Sallie Mae because of unemployment or wages to low to pay the minimum monthly amount, Sallie Mae will simply advise folks to pay loans and skip rent. At the same time, that former student will not have access to "the best medical system in the world", and will be unable to pay for the insurances and fees required to practice his/her profession. At some point, the average citizen will go to Mickey D's for a will or a real estate closing becaue that's where all the lawyers will be. Of course, one benefit will be the ability to "get fries with that."
As in the depression song "Ain't We Got Fun", "the rich get rich and the poor get poorer." And, for those who hate lawyers; that hatred comes and goes. You hate em until you need em, and then you hate em again when you have to pay them for saving your butt.
Recession erodes Social Security and Medicare trust funds {Daily Finance}
May 14th 2009 12:20PM Brigette, Social Security was established to prevent persons who worked and paid into the fund from living their last years in abject poverty. It was not intended or designed to help everyone who "really needs it." The additional entitlements arose from the fact that there was once a surpluss that the politicians saw as a meand of garnering support from the electorate. Now the number of unintended beneficiaries place an enormous drain on the fund, much to the detriment of those for whom the fund was established.
While it is true that people with disabled children, refugees with no means of support, and others require some form of assistance, that assistance should Not come from Social Security. What would also help is raising the age for full benefits to 70, partial benefits to 65, requiring a generous means test, and requiring citizenship or at least a green card to receive benefits.
Were that done, Social Security would be there for your generation, and for your children's generation. Not All assistance should be earmarked for All groups in need.
Could you live on $53,000 (a week)? {WalletPop}
Mar 22nd 2009 6:45PM The point is not whether she could live on less, or whether or not she Needs the money. The point is that if she is in a community property state, she should get half of the property, (read income, etc.) that was accrued during the marriage. Pre-Nups are a way to avoid that, agreements signed after the marriage, while legal, can be attacked on several grounds. It doesn't matter if she was married to a guy who made .50, or 500,000,000 during the mariage, she gets half.
I am truly tired of the moralistic tone adopted when talking about someone who has amassed significant wealth. Do we feel the same way about the wife of a guy who makes 100, 000 per year and manages to gyp his wife and kids out of enough money to pay for the house and groceries? A fair share of the goods is just that, and the amount of each share depends on how much there is to share.
And before the "morals police" get on my back, I barely have two dimes back to back. However, I certainly don't begrudge those who do.
More women in the workforce than men {WalletPop}
Feb 7th 2009 1:01PM Quitcherbellyachin, White males are not deprived. What research Has shown is that when males are laid off or fired they are unable to readjust and move on. They complain that they are "too ______" (fill in the blank) to get new training, or take a lower paid position. Women, on the other hand, are willing and able to adjust to the situation, and do whatever is needed to stay afloat. Men, possibly because of years of entitlement, tend to blame the environment, other races, or the opposite gender for their failure to cope.
It is no longer possible for a man to sit in the living room and wait for things to come to him. My grandmother used to say that without her, my grandfather could starve to death sitting next to a full refrigerator. Then that was funny, but today women are too busy earning a living and providing a major portion of the household income to stop and "open the refrigerator" for men. So, guys, instead of moaning and groaning, take a lesson from the women and go out and start working at something, even if it isn't your dream job.
