The premise is simple. Since I make it a policy to avoid political or social conversations on Facebook (Worst. Forum. Ever.), I save posts that catch my eye, and comment on them here, in the comfort of my own blog. I did one of these before and nobody complained, so I figured it's time for another installment. Here we go!
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To start, it's disingenuous to claim soldiers make less than minimum wage ($7.25 / hour). That's only true if we assume a soldier is at the very bottom of the pay scale, working at least 48 hours a week, taking no vacation or sick days, and we don't include any compensation other than basic pay. As explained on the Army's web page, basic pay is only one form of compensation. There is also drill pay, special pay, bonuses, and most notably allowances for food, housing, clothing, and a cost of living adjustment. If fast food workers didn't have to pay rent or buy groceries, they wouldn't need a higher wage. (But typically a huge percentage of their checks go to rent, and they aren't even allowed to take home food that would otherwise be thrown in the trash.) Furthermore, soldiers also get healthcare, life insurance, they can earn credits for higher education through the G.I. Bill, and they can earn technical certifications on-the-job and thus free of charge. Overall, military members are much better compensated than fast food workers, as they should be.
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Second, if your point is that soldiers are still underpaid, a position to which I'm sympathetic, how does disparaging fast food workers demanding a living wage help your cause? How much somebody slapping a burger on a bun makes is virtually independent of how much tax money we decide as a society to allocate to compensate members of our military. How does shitting on somebody worse off than you, make your lot in life better?
Last, you might have seen this before, it's made its way around social media, but if you haven't, you should read it, and try to take it to heart. It's a fantastic response to the backlash against an increase in minimum wage from those making just above minimum wage.
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My Facebook Friend: Asshole!
In my head, the maker of this card is dining alone, because I can't imagine anybody wanting to hang out with him -- or her, I suppose, but I think it's a man, and I also think he's a big Ayn Rand fan. And probably not a real economist, because from what I understand (caveat: I'm not a real economist either) the real-life dynamics of wages do not follow Economics 101 rules of supply and demand, because of the human element. For example, when unemployment is high and job opportunities are scarce (worker supply is high, demand is low) businesses do not cut salaries to the point where the supply and demand curves meet, because, among other things, humans get really pissed when you cut their salaries.
With that said, I actually agree that a higher minimum wage should make the requirement to tip obsolete. Tips just are not a good form of compensation and shouldn't be used in place of a living wage. For one thing, tips allow workers to skirt paying income tax, which isn't a good thing (unless you are the one doing the skirting). For another thing, tips are, by and large, not based on how well you do your job; they are based on how much your patrons want to fuck you. And for yet another thing, most people tip either because they feel obligated (most people), or because they want to have power over the server (a few assholes) -- neither of these are good reasons to me.
Instead of tips, I would like to see more restaurants do what this one does -- assess a fixed service charge in lieu of a tip. Once people get used to the idea of this, it will be a win all around. If you set it at something between 10% -- 15% of the bill, then most patrons would be paying no more than they would with tips; the workers wouldn't be losing money because they would have a higher base pay; and the money could be doled out in a more equitable way as determined by the restaurant (instead of almost all of it going to the server, the kitchen staff could get a taste, as well). Also, worker pay is still tied to service (the more you sell, the more you get paid), so the typical conservative tropes about "incentive" and "innovation," aren't an issue. (Plus, as I mentioned earlier, tips aren't really about quality of work anyway.) The one loser in this whole ordeal is the obnoxious asshole who won't be able to hold the threat of a revoked tip over his server's head. But for (mostly) men who get off on having financial power over (mostly) young women deigning themselves to servitude, just trying to make a living, there is always the strip club. At least there, the terms are explicit. And if you fail to live up to your end of the financial agreement, a 300-pound dude in a black tee with an earpiece politely shows you the door.
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My Facebook Friend: Just desserts. I have to admit, it made me smile ....
Actually, the saying is "just deserts." One of the definitions of the word desert is a "reward or punishment that is deserved." This is a mostly obscure definition today (aside from the idiom), which explains why many people think it's "just desserts." But it's not. That's a too-cutesy name for a trendy cupcake shop.
Although we haven't spoken in roughly 15 years, we were always friendly (if not outright friends) back in the day, so I hope you don't my pedantry. Good day, sir.
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My Facebook Friend: I've never understood how saying "Radical Islamic Terrorism" get huge applause lines... #justsaying
My Facebook Friend's Friend: Because no one in obama's administration can ever utter the words terrorist unless there talking about Americans they don't agree with
For example, here is a link to Obama calling the Boston Marathon bombing an act of terrorism. (Although technically speaking Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was an American with whom Obama surely disagreed, so you aren't wrong. Oh wait, his brother Tamerlan was not an American citizen, so you are wrong.) Also here Obama calls ISIS terrorists. And then here he calls the people who attacked the kosher deli in Paris Anti-Semitic terrorists. So, you are absolutely, unequivocally wrong.
I'm assuming from your post that you are Republican. Well, remember when Bobby Jindal said Republicans need to stop being the "party of stupid?" Maybe you should give that a try... And yes, I know, Mr. Jindal himself utterly failed at this, but that doesn't mean it's not a worthy goal.
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Yes! When will the good-looking, white, Christian man get a fair shake in America?! I mean, stop the persecution already!
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To start, it's disingenuous to claim soldiers make less than minimum wage ($7.25 / hour). That's only true if we assume a soldier is at the very bottom of the pay scale, working at least 48 hours a week, taking no vacation or sick days, and we don't include any compensation other than basic pay. As explained on the Army's web page, basic pay is only one form of compensation. There is also drill pay, special pay, bonuses, and most notably allowances for food, housing, clothing, and a cost of living adjustment. If fast food workers didn't have to pay rent or buy groceries, they wouldn't need a higher wage. (But typically a huge percentage of their checks go to rent, and they aren't even allowed to take home food that would otherwise be thrown in the trash.) Furthermore, soldiers also get healthcare, life insurance, they can earn credits for higher education through the G.I. Bill, and they can earn technical certifications on-the-job and thus free of charge. Overall, military members are much better compensated than fast food workers, as they should be.
.
Second, if your point is that soldiers are still underpaid, a position to which I'm sympathetic, how does disparaging fast food workers demanding a living wage help your cause? How much somebody slapping a burger on a bun makes is virtually independent of how much tax money we decide as a society to allocate to compensate members of our military. How does shitting on somebody worse off than you, make your lot in life better?
Last, you might have seen this before, it's made its way around social media, but if you haven't, you should read it, and try to take it to heart. It's a fantastic response to the backlash against an increase in minimum wage from those making just above minimum wage.
-----------------------------------
In my head, the maker of this card is dining alone, because I can't imagine anybody wanting to hang out with him -- or her, I suppose, but I think it's a man, and I also think he's a big Ayn Rand fan. And probably not a real economist, because from what I understand (caveat: I'm not a real economist either) the real-life dynamics of wages do not follow Economics 101 rules of supply and demand, because of the human element. For example, when unemployment is high and job opportunities are scarce (worker supply is high, demand is low) businesses do not cut salaries to the point where the supply and demand curves meet, because, among other things, humans get really pissed when you cut their salaries.
With that said, I actually agree that a higher minimum wage should make the requirement to tip obsolete. Tips just are not a good form of compensation and shouldn't be used in place of a living wage. For one thing, tips allow workers to skirt paying income tax, which isn't a good thing (unless you are the one doing the skirting). For another thing, tips are, by and large, not based on how well you do your job; they are based on how much your patrons want to fuck you. And for yet another thing, most people tip either because they feel obligated (most people), or because they want to have power over the server (a few assholes) -- neither of these are good reasons to me.
Instead of tips, I would like to see more restaurants do what this one does -- assess a fixed service charge in lieu of a tip. Once people get used to the idea of this, it will be a win all around. If you set it at something between 10% -- 15% of the bill, then most patrons would be paying no more than they would with tips; the workers wouldn't be losing money because they would have a higher base pay; and the money could be doled out in a more equitable way as determined by the restaurant (instead of almost all of it going to the server, the kitchen staff could get a taste, as well). Also, worker pay is still tied to service (the more you sell, the more you get paid), so the typical conservative tropes about "incentive" and "innovation," aren't an issue. (Plus, as I mentioned earlier, tips aren't really about quality of work anyway.) The one loser in this whole ordeal is the obnoxious asshole who won't be able to hold the threat of a revoked tip over his server's head. But for (mostly) men who get off on having financial power over (mostly) young women deigning themselves to servitude, just trying to make a living, there is always the strip club. At least there, the terms are explicit. And if you fail to live up to your end of the financial agreement, a 300-pound dude in a black tee with an earpiece politely shows you the door.
---------------------------------
Actually, the saying is "just deserts." One of the definitions of the word desert is a "reward or punishment that is deserved." This is a mostly obscure definition today (aside from the idiom), which explains why many people think it's "just desserts." But it's not. That's a too-cutesy name for a trendy cupcake shop.
Although we haven't spoken in roughly 15 years, we were always friendly (if not outright friends) back in the day, so I hope you don't my pedantry. Good day, sir.
------------------------------------
My Facebook Friend: I've never understood how saying "Radical Islamic Terrorism" get huge applause lines... #justsaying
My Facebook Friend's Friend: Because no one in obama's administration can ever utter the words terrorist unless there talking about Americans they don't agree with
To my Facebook friend of a Facebook friend: You don't know me, and I don't know you. But I do recognize your name. You were in the same high school class as my friend's brother, and he used to tell not-so-flattering stories about you. I have a very good memory (or at least I had one, it's starting to slip a bit as I reach middle age), so I remember your name. All this is to say, I know you are not being sarcastic, which is a shame, because it means you are very likely an idiot. (And your misuse of they're/there would have been a nice ironic touch -- a bit of a cliché, though.) You have posted something on-line, in earnest, under your real name, which can be completely refuted in about three minutes.
I'm assuming from your post that you are Republican. Well, remember when Bobby Jindal said Republicans need to stop being the "party of stupid?" Maybe you should give that a try... And yes, I know, Mr. Jindal himself utterly failed at this, but that doesn't mean it's not a worthy goal.
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Yes! When will the good-looking, white, Christian man get a fair shake in America?! I mean, stop the persecution already!
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Quick: Who won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award last year? Or a more general question: Who won any ESPY ever? I'm a huge sports fan -- huge! -- and I can't name a single person to ever win an ESPY. And you know why? Nobody gives a shit about the ESPYs! They are a promotional event put on by a major media corporation. They aren't the Nobel Prize. They pick candidates and winners based on who will draw the most viewers. I mean, A-Rod was up for Comeback Player of the Year, and he was coming back from a drug suspension! ESPN just wanted him in attendance to get some eyeballs, so they gave him some bullshit nomination -- which is a redundancy because the entire ESPYs, almost by definition, are bullshit. I've never heard anybody ever complain about an ESPY slight. That is, until a transgender person wins one. Hmm... curious, no?
Also, there are different types of courage. What Noah Galloway did/does requires physical courage -- valor, perhaps is a more accurate adjective. But what Caitlyn Jenner did requires social courage -- and a lot of it. And if you think it doesn't, then I have a challenge for you: Do it. Come out as transgender -- just for a year or so. Start dressing as a member of the opposite sex, come up with a new name for yourself, start referring to yourself with opposite-gender pronouns, sell it to everybody. Tell all your friends, coworkers, family, tell everybody you know that you are transitioning, keep the ruse up for a year -- just as a social experiment. Okay, now, how about instead of that you have the alternative option to compete in a Crossfit event. Which one are you choosing? That's what I thought.
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Why woman working $95K job in Manhattan quit to pick up ice cream-scooping job in Virgin Islands
I don't care. And frankly I'm tired of seeing this woman in my feed.
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Until next time ...
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