Today I'm angry about.....

[Dujon]

B-Hell, Dujon, "extra-curricular emolument" ?

A job in HR awaits, surely.

Hardly, my bell-adorned friend. I'm not smarmy enough and I doubt that I could lie convincingly enough to save my life.

The ethic in Australia is quite different though, Dujon. Service industry employees are paid quite well and tipping is not the norm. This can create problems for antipodal tourists traveling in North America - they seem to attract spilled soup bowls and indirect taxi routes.

You could well be correct regarding payment to employees, Monty - particularly in the area of dining and wining. I've just had a quick shufti to find the minimum wage for waiter/waitress but time precludes further investigation. Even should I find the true and proper details it then becomes an exercise in comparison of some sort of living cost to use as a base. As far as indirect taxi routes are concerned I can assure you that Australians have no need to travel to North America to experience that particular wallet picking device.

************

For those of you who do tip: Who are you 'tipping' and why? If it were for the cuisine shouldn't you pop into that part of the restaurant and tip the person who prepared your meal? If it were the wine waiter or sommelier what then? Pop down to the cellar and leave a lazy quid or two lying around?

In many pubs and clubs around and about where I live it's not unusual to use the phrase 'keep the change' when the change is a few cents or pennies. That, I am sure, is not unique. As best I can gather all such extras are usually tossed into a 'pot' and eventually divided by the rules set down (tacit or otherwise) by the employees - i.e. not the employer. Then again, it has nothing to do with service as it's just a lazy way of saying 'the odd 10p or 20c means nothing to me'.

[Hoboh]

I've worked at the coal face in service industry in a small number of areas (banking, service station attendant, golf caddy, shop owner - perhaps a couple of others that I've forgotten) and, to be honest, I was offended if a 'tip' was offered and thus it was usually - politely of course - declined. Perhaps that sounds a bit holier-than-thou but it's not meant that way. The ethos behind that attitude was that I was being paid to do a job, by a customer or an employer, and that also meant I did such to the best of my ability.

Bloody hell I've been hard up at times, just as most of us have I suspect, but to expect someone to slip an extra shilling or two for services rendered is silly. There is, however, one circumstance in which I will accept some form of extra-curricular emolument, and that is in a long term relationship with a customer who out of the goodness of their heart leaves a bottle of something or other as they leave my office or workshop.

100% perfect attitude Dujon, I take my hat off to you sir.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I've worked at the coal face in service industry in a small number of areas (banking, service station attendant, golf caddy, shop owner - perhaps a couple of others that I've forgotten) and, to be honest, I was offended if a 'tip' was offered and thus it was usually - politely of course - declined. Perhaps that sounds a bit holier-than-thou but it's not meant that way. The ethos behind that attitude was that I was being paid to do a job, by a customer or an employer, and that also meant I did such to the best of my ability.

Bloody hell I've been hard up at times, just as most of us have I suspect, but to expect someone to slip an extra shilling or two for services rendered is silly. There is, however, one circumstance in which I will accept some form of extra-curricular emolument, and that is in a long term relationship with a customer who out of the goodness of their heart leaves a bottle of something or other as they leave my office or workshop.

100% perfect attitude Dujon, I take my hat off to you sir.

What sort of service industry was that again?

[Bruce Rioja]

Which is exactly why service is sh*t in this country. You don't buy a Lada and complain about the ride.

I don't tend to eat where they serve Ladas. If I'm spending say, £250 for two, then I expect to be paying for every single aspect thereof. I expect the service to be in accordance.

blimey!! how the other 'arf live!

Sorry, thebish, I should've inserted 'of the company's money' between the £250 and the 'for'.

[Prufrock]

Flavio Briatore. Feck off. No-one cares, you are not 'breaking news', there are more important things going on atm.

[Hoboh]

Threads about cricket in the footie season!!!!!!!!!

[Fresh]

More news about Tiger Woods.

[thebish]

general incompetence.........

went for MOT at 8:30 this morning - strugging through literally ONE INCH of slushy and mostly thawed snow.....

got there in time

had MOT

needed FOUR new tyres (I kind of suspected it might as I haven't bought a tyre in years!)

they offered to send their man to the local tyre garage - which I would have used anyway and have new tyres - it'll only take 40mins...

so I stroll into town - have a pastie and a coffee and stroll back - to find my car back - WITH THE SAME TYRES - and them rooting through the (embarassingly messy) boot trying to find the locking wheel nut key. The tyre "specialists" had told the garage man that they couldn't get the tyres off without it - so he brought it back.

I pointed out that my car does NOT HAVE locking wheel nuts - but BOG STANDARD wheelnuts like 99% of all other normal cars on the road..

oh - they say - they didn't actually LOOK AT the wheels at all - just ASSUMED they would be locking.....

aggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

so he took it back - but by now there was a fecking huge queue at the tyre "specialists" and I have to wait back at the garage for well over another fecking hour - pretty much a whole morning down the swanee..

I did ring Owen Coyle to ask if he could come and sort it for me - but I was told he was busy down the garden! ARSE!!!

[bobo the clown]

general incompetence ............................

I pointed out that my car does NOT HAVE locking wheel nuts - but BOG STANDARD wheelnuts like 99% of all other normal cars on the road..

oh - they say - they didn't actually LOOK AT the wheels at all - just ASSUMED they would be locking.....

aggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

........................

I did ring Owen Coyle to ask if he could come and sort it for me - but I was told he was busy down the garden! ARSE!!!

Brill ... so long as it's someone else's story & not your ow.

Pray for them Bishop.

Meanwhile, all you need now is to stuggle to the Emirates today only to see it cancelled at about 7.30pm.

[thebish]

general incompetence ............................

I pointed out that my car does NOT HAVE locking wheel nuts - but BOG STANDARD wheelnuts like 99% of all other normal cars on the road..

oh - they say - they didn't actually LOOK AT the wheels at all - just ASSUMED they would be locking.....

aggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

........................

I did ring Owen Coyle to ask if he could come and sort it for me - but I was told he was busy down the garden! ARSE!!!

Brill ... so long as it's someone else's story & not your ow.

Pray for them Bishop.

Meanwhile, all you need now is to stuggle to the Emirates today only to see it cancelled at about 7.30pm.

bah! Arsenal still saying it's on - I'll be there! (and will be wearing four old tyres as insulation!)

[bobo the clown]

general incompetence ............................

I pointed out that my car does NOT HAVE locking wheel nuts - but BOG STANDARD wheelnuts like 99% of all other normal cars on the road..

oh - they say - they didn't actually LOOK AT the wheels at all - just ASSUMED they would be locking.....

aggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

........................

I did ring Owen Coyle to ask if he could come and sort it for me - but I was told he was busy down the garden! ARSE!!!

Brill ... so long as it's someone else's story & not your ow.

Pray for them Bishop.

Meanwhile, all you need now is to stuggle to the Emirates today only to see it cancelled at about 7.30pm.

bah! Arsenal still saying it's on - I'll be there! (and will be wearing four old tyres as insulation!)

Not any longer !!

Called off now.

[Bruce Rioja]

general incompetence ............................

I pointed out that my car does NOT HAVE locking wheel nuts - but BOG STANDARD wheelnuts like 99% of all other normal cars on the road..

oh - they say - they didn't actually LOOK AT the wheels at all - just ASSUMED they would be locking.....

aggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

........................

I did ring Owen Coyle to ask if he could come and sort it for me - but I was told he was busy down the garden! ARSE!!!

Brill ... so long as it's someone else's story & not your ow.

Pray for them Bishop.

Meanwhile, all you need now is to stuggle to the Emirates today only to see it cancelled at about 7.30pm.

bah! Arsenal still saying it's on - I'll be there! (and will be wearing four old tyres as insulation!)

Not any longer !!

Called off now.

Yeah, but I bet he's still got those four old tyres on! I know I have!

[Prufrock]

Today I'm angry about Sunday Trading. What is the sodding point? In typically dopey post Xmas not started back at uni yet reverie I wandered to Tesco just now, to find it shut. Why?! It serves no purpose to my mind, and is an outdated idea. Very few people go to church anymore, or actively practise religion, and it's just inconvenient. If you don't want to work Sundays because of your beliefs then fine, but don't make me have to try to do a big shop in an off license PLEASE!

[TANGODANCER]

Today I'm angry about Sunday Trading. What is the sodding point? In typically dopey post Xmas not started back at uni yet reverie I wandered to Tesco just now, to find it shut. Why?! It serves no purpose to my mind, and is an outdated idea. Very few people go to church anymore, or actively practise religion, and it's just inconvenient. If you don't want to work Sundays because of your beliefs then fine, but don't make me have to try to do a big shop in an off license PLEASE!

Might just be because deliveries aren't getting though as normal, and also less customers are turning out making staff wages (who also may have difficilties getting to work), electricity and heating usage etc, non-profitable. I'm sure they didn't shut just to pxxs you off.

[Prufrock]

But it's every week, not just weather-related. Every Sunday at 5pm everything stops, for no apparent reason. Sack it off. It's outdated.

[Lord Kangana]

I used to love it when nearly everything was shut on a sunday. Its a good excuse to use the word "no" without needing an excuse. Its an underused word, we should use it more. "Are you doing anything on Sunday?" "No."

[Bruce Rioja]

I used to love it when nearly everything was shut on a sunday. Its a good excuse to use the word "no" without needing an excuse. Its an underused word, we should use it more. "Are you doing anything on Sunday?" "No."

Haha. Remeber Bolton Holidays? The entire bloody town used to close down for two weeks. If you hadn't gone away you were stumped.

[thebish]

Today I'm angry about Sunday Trading. What is the sodding point? In typically dopey post Xmas not started back at uni yet reverie I wandered to Tesco just now, to find it shut. Why?! It serves no purpose to my mind, and is an outdated idea. Very few people go to church anymore, or actively practise religion, and it's just inconvenient. If you don't want to work Sundays because of your beliefs then fine, but don't make me have to try to do a big shop in an off license PLEASE!

in that case you seem to be angry about NOT-sunday trading....

(tescos IS generally open on a sunday, though, isn't it? If a particular shop decides to be closed on a particular day - why shouldn't they? Tescos are ALLOWED to open on sunday - it is their choice.)

[thebish]

Today I'm angry about Sunday Trading. What is the sodding point? In typically dopey post Xmas not started back at uni yet reverie I wandered to Tesco just now, to find it shut. Why?! It serves no purpose to my mind, and is an outdated idea. Very few people go to church anymore, or actively practise religion, and it's just inconvenient. If you don't want to work Sundays because of your beliefs then fine, but don't make me have to try to do a big shop in an off license PLEASE!

there are more people who go to church on a sunday (I believe) than attend premier league football of a weekend....

why not just go to Tesco when it is open?

[bobo the clown]

Today I'm angry about Sunday Trading. What is the sodding point? In typically dopey post Xmas not started back at uni yet reverie I wandered to Tesco just now, to find it shut. Why?! It serves no purpose to my mind, and is an outdated idea. Very few people go to church anymore, or actively practise religion, and it's just inconvenient. If you don't want to work Sundays because of your beliefs then fine, but don't make me have to try to do a big shop in an off license PLEASE!

Haven't you just spent a year in Paris ??

Go on, how many shops are open there on a Sunday ? All you can do there is pop on a pink dressing gown & mince about on your balcony smoking a cherute from a cigarette holder.

Oh ....