Tipping

[Kraj]

Kraj,

from what I've seen with friends who have been nailed with a debilitating injury and can no longer work, it takes 2-3 shots at the application process before one is accepted, nowadays. And this is for persons, like your SIL, who are OBVIOUSLY disabled and no longer capable of working to support themselves. I don't know if this is part of the process to "weed" out the unworthies or not, but I've seen or heard of this in more than a couple of cases. Tell them to keep applying for it and to not give up.

Yeah, we're pretty aware of that. It just seems insane that the people most capable of putting the time and energy into the process over and over again are the ones who need the benefits the least.

In other words its my thoughts on tipping - right or wrong - nothing to do with America / Japan / Timbucktoo / England / Scotland

Well that's all well and good, but you can't make social commentary in a vacuum. If you're going to evaluate whether a social practice is right or wrong, you have to do in the context of that society. Whether you like it or not, what is considered appropriate behavior depends on the culture of the society you're in.

We are discussing tipping. You presented your opinion, which instrinsically neither right or wrong. In the context of the UK and other places where tipping is considered completely optional, your opinion agrees with the social norm and is considered acceptable behavior. In the context of the US, where tipping is expected and reinforced by wage practices, your opinion is considered socially unacceptable.

Your refusal to apply your opinion to any social context means it has no relevance to the discussion because it is 100% hypothetical and has no implications in the real world whatsoever. That doesn't mean your personal opinion is wrong, it just means you've provided nothing that can be discussed.

Additionally, your poor behavior and refusal to appologize for that behavior simply reinforces the fact that you, personally, are not worth discussing anything with. I contributed to the conflict by making an unclear comment that was very open to negative interpretations. I would be more than happy to appologize for causing any hurt feelings, but why on earth should I when you intentionally attack me and refuse to offer any appology?

 

[ColinEssex]

Well that's all well and good, but you can't make social commentary in a vacuum. If you're going to evaluate whether a social practice is right or wrong, you have to do in the context of that society.

I would have thought it was obvious that if I live in the UK, my comments regarding tipping is relevant to UK.

If I was American and brought up to give tips, then I would perhaps have a different view.

I understand in Iceland it's an insult to tip a waitress / waiter.

I had a bad day yesterday - my comments to you may have been a little harsh

Col

 

[MrsGorilla]

It's certianly not. My sister-in-law has been afflicted with debilitating headaches for about the last three years (prior to that, she merely had migranes) caused by chiari malformation and pseudotumor.

How interesting. I was basing my opinions on the fact that our friend has Arnold Chiari Malformation type II and won't ever be able to work again. She has headaches, a lot of the time she'll have numbness in her arms/legs and constant pain. She'll be taking heavy duty pain pills the rest of her life, and she hasn't really been able to get a clear picture of what's going to happen to her (paralysis, death, etc.) because it's so rare and there aren't really any doctors around here that are "experts" with that disease. Especially the type II form. In fact it took several years before she was even diagnosed properly. I think they had an attorney trying to help them through the process of signing up for disability the last I heard.

 

[Kraj]

I would have thought it was obvious that if I live in the UK, my comments regarding tipping is relevant to UK.

That's a fair assumption. I just happened to be that many people from a variety of countries and cultures were weighing in on the topic and it became unclear as to whose responses were on what context, etc.

I had a bad day yesterday - my comments to you may have been a little harsh

Col

I appreciate that, and I also appologize for making the glib remark that provoked you.

How interesting. I was basing my opinions on the fact that our friend has Arnold Chiari Malformation type II and won't ever be able to work again.

Crazy! Small world... Has she considered surgery? Neurosurgeons tend to be very reserved about performing this procedure, but Julie (easier than typing sister-in-law over and over again) finally got it done very recently and so far (knock on wood, cross your fingers, and get down on your knees and pray) she's had significant improvement. If she's looking for help outside of the state, I'd say forget about Mayo Clinic; they rejected Julie. There is a place in New York called The Chiari Institute that (obviously) specializes in chiari, and I could also refer to you the place in Chicago that peformed Julie's surgery.

 

[Rich]

God bless the U.S.A. !

This post has been reported to the K.K. Klan anti American sentiment committee, in the mean time please refrain from making derogatory remarks about the state of the States.

 

[MrsGorilla]

Crazy! Small world... Has she considered surgery? Neurosurgeons tend to be very reserved about performing this procedure, but Julie (easier than typing sister-in-law over and over again) finally got it done very recently and so far (knock on wood, cross your fingers, and get down on your knees and pray) she's had significant improvement. If she's looking for help outside of the state, I'd say forget about Mayo Clinic; they rejected Julie. There is a place in New York called The Chiari Institute that (obviously) specializes in chiari, and I could also refer to you the place in Chicago that peformed Julie's surgery.

I know she's had one surgery already, but I don't know the details. I just know that she's told me that type II is more severe than type I and that she wasn't really given any hope of ever getting better. Do you know what type of ACM that Julie has? I would be interested in finding out. I just hate to see my friend get worse every year and down pain pills all the time. She now has a prescription for methadone, so I know it's pretty serious. I'll have to check into The Chiari Institute if they have a website.

 

[Kraj]

Do you know what type of ACM that Julie has? I would be interested in finding out.

Unfortunately I don't, but I do know it isn't considered a severe case. When they originally diagnosed it, they believed the blockage wasn't enough to be causing her symptoms so they wouldn't operate on her. It wasn't until about a month ago when she started having sudden dizzy spells and blurred vision (signs that the blockage was getting worse) that they deicded to do the surgery.