[Jeff]

I still have a $2 bill tucked away in my night stand. That went extinct in 1996 I believe.

I sometimes run across some American coins as well. I've got an American quarter in my wallet right now.

[Lunick]

http://www.pcgamer.c...halo-3-release/

Well then, no Halo 3 or Halo 1 or 2 on Steam. Didn't really bother me anyway.

[Kathy]

Spotted another mouse in the kitchen. It seems the death of its comrade yesterday was just the beginning then.

[Master Fibbles]

AgentScotty, on 04 February 2013 - 08:42 PM, said:

I've also got a few mil of Spanish pesetas that were worth $15 or so back in the day. I can remember when $1 = 185 pesetas in the mid-80s, which was almost like getting $1.85 in terms of local buying power. Lots of gin, rum, and beer were bought by us teenage Navy brats back in the day.

I heard a story once of a guy who was in Mexico and he gave the waiter a $5 bill to pay for two meals and the guy came back with a handful of change. He didn't think $5 was too much for what he did..

Jeff, on 04 February 2013 - 10:37 PM, said:

I still have a $2 bill tucked away in my night stand. That went extinct in 1996 I believe.

You can still get $2 bills in America. You just have to ask for them from the bank. If I had a local bank, I'd probably do it for fun.

[The Commander]

http://www.stuff.co....ck-Thunderbirds (Yes read this link)

New Zealand does everything right.

[Jimmy]

Mr.Flibble, on 05 February 2013 - 07:21 AM, said:

I heard a story once of a guy who was in Mexico and he gave the waiter a $5 bill to pay for two meals and the guy came back with a handful of change. He didn't think $5 was too much for what he did..


You can still get $2 bills in America. You just have to ask for them from the bank. If I had a local bank, I'd probably do it for fun.

I've got a few $2 bills, but you wouldn't believe how many idiots out there don't know they exist. And I wouldn't doubt something like that has happened, people always tip shittily, and I wouldn't doubt that hardly anyone tips down there. I always tip 20%-30%, and if it's less than five dollars, I usually give them five dollars. You have to be doing a really shitty job to get no tip from me.

[High Treason]

It's not shaping up to be a good week, I've got influenza - which is worsening to the point I might visit the doctor - my swivel chair broke so I can't really do much on my computer and the government just abolished council tax benefits as well as increasing the cost of most bills not to mention some idiot put gas works outside my house so I'm not getting any sleep because they're hacking the road up all the time; it's bound to be a good day when you're woken up to a haze in the air and a man yelling "Gas leak, gas leak!" whilst running away from the hole in the road.

[Hank]

High Treason, on 05 February 2013 - 03:58 PM, said:

It's not shaping up to be a good week, I've got influenza - which is worsening to the point I might visit the doctor - my swivel chair broke so I can't really do much on my computer and the government just abolished council tax benefits as well as increasing the cost of most bills not to mention some idiot put gas works outside my house so I'm not getting any sleep because they're hacking the road up all the time; it's bound to be a good day when you're woken up to a haze in the air and a man yelling "Gas leak, gas leak!" whilst running away from the hole in the road.

Is that the influenza talking or all for real?
I had the flue twice, high fever, knocked out for like a week; and still remember the nightmares, actually, I made a map out of one reoccurring nightmare. ... so I'm asking ... just looking for ideas

@ Captain Awesome - I hate tipping. When I was flat broke, and some customers gave their great tip because I was such a charming good boy, the tipper had no idea how I boiled inside, I had to be nice all the time, even if (and especially when) a given customer was the biggest jerk around for miles. - Personally I give tips because of etiquette, not because I think it's right.

[Jimmy]

It's a mix of both. There's an unspoken social contract when you go out to eat. Your server keeps your drink filled and makes sure you have everything you need. I tip because I appreciate a good server, and I never want to scorn someone serving me, regardless of the setting. I do it because I want to, not because I have to. However, if you generally have a shitty attitude, I'll tell you why you didn't get a tip. Servers at places I regular recognize me and always treat me well because they know I'll treat them well. It works out for everyone.

[Hank]

Yeah! - To serve - it is not in my blood, nor being served for that matter. Yes, I am weird

[Jimmy]

I don't like being waited on either, but I still appreciate someone who does it. My brother is a waiter, and he tells me all about bad customers and I just have way too much empathy to be another shitty customer. Plus, I've seen how it's really changed people's days. Some of these people make practically nothing and it just brightens their day someone gave a shit to give them more than the standard 15%.

[Micky C]

So what's the deal with tipping anyway? I watch shows like seinfeld and everyone's tipping everyone at the coffee shop and the guy at the airport that puts bags into carts etc..

That simply doesn't happen in Australia. Everyone is on a fixed salary and when you go to a restaurant you pay for something and you get it, no ifs. Then again we don't really have places where the waitresses always come around filling up your cup with coffee. So the tips are for the coffee and the service filling it up? Do waitresses get paid a low salary and rely on tips for a decent wage?

[Lunick]

Ahahaha damn you Micky, you posted pretty much what I was going to say.

[Jimmy]

Employers 'count' tips as part of their hourly wage, even if they don't get tips. It's just a way to pay people nothing. So if the server doesn't get a tip, it's almost as if they're paying to serve you. This is only true of people in restaurants/bars as far as I know though, not baggage guys in airports/hotels.

[Hank]

Micky C, on 05 February 2013 - 05:44 PM, said:

So what's the deal with tipping anyway? I watch shows like seinfeld and everyone's tipping everyone at the coffee shop and the guy at the airport that puts bags into carts etc..

That simply doesn't happen in Australia. Everyone is on a fixed salary and when you go to a restaurant you pay for something and you get it, no ifs. Then again we don't really have places where the waitresses always come around filling up your cup with coffee. So the tips are for the coffee and the service filling it up? Do waitresses get paid a low salary and rely on tips for a decent wage?

Here in Canada, it's a custom, in some Restaurants it is even build-in the bill, +15 or +20% . The waiter and waitresses live on tips, not the actually wage. Minimum wage does nothing here, you can't exist on it. - As I wrote to CA, you better learn quickly to be a good little boy or starve.

Also, food and drinks are relative expensive here.
Say, a couple and three children = $ 350.00 for lunch. Now consider the waiter working for 1400/mo, it is hard not to leave something.

[Micky C]

So food and drink is expensive, and you have to pay a tip? Sheesh.

Some of the fancier restaurants here have waiters that take away your plate when you're done and stuff, but that is always included in the bill. It's not listed as a separate fee or anything, I think it's included in the food price.

[Kathy]

Micky C, on 06 February 2013 - 05:17 AM, said:

I think it's included in the food price.

Pretty much. I always assumed that it's goddamn expensive at least partly because of that. 15% tip? No way I'm gonna pay that much on top.

[Forge]

i don't mind leaving tips; especially at places i frequent. I figure they'll recognize me and know i tip decent, so then they won't spit in my food.

what's harder to find than a needle in a haystack?

a booger on a pizza

[Jeff]

I normally do around 15% for tips.

[Inspector Lagomorf]

I have found that the best service actually comes from the very touristy cities in Florida; I've been to at least three where they have made a point to remember my name, give free drinks, etc.. Said waiters usually get a 30% tip from me.

[Jimmy]

Burnett, on 06 February 2013 - 06:19 AM, said:

Pretty much. I always assumed that it's goddamn expensive at least partly because of that. 15% tip? No way I'm gonna pay that much on top.

If your bill is $30, 15% is $4.50. If $4.50 is a big deal to you, you shouldn't be eating out in a traditional restaurant anyway. Try Taco Bell.

[Hank]

Achenar, on 06 February 2013 - 07:39 AM, said:

I have found that the best service actually comes from the very touristy cities in Florida; I've been to at least three where they have made a point to remember my name, give free drinks, etc.. Said waiters usually get a 30% tip from me.

Are you talking about Disney World and stuff? Yeah, class A service. Even simple 7/11 stood out - my drink's top was dented, all I wanted is a new cover, I've got a free drink, just to make sure I am happy, I told her, it was me doing the denting. Still

[Inspector Lagomorf]

Captain Awesome, on 06 February 2013 - 04:28 PM, said:

If your bill is $30, 15% is $4.50. If $4.50 is a big deal to you, you shouldn't be eating out in a traditional restaurant anyway. Try Taco Bell.

And unless you're buying New York strip steak or Maine lobster, you would never have to spend $30 on yourself for a restaurant bill anyway.

Quote

Are you talking about Disney World and stuff? Yeah, class A service.

To wit, there was an Applebee's right on the edge of Lake Buena Vista, and a local touristy restaurant in Daytona Beach. At both of these places, I received top-notch service.

[Hank]

Achenar, on 06 February 2013 - 04:44 PM, said:

To wit, there was an Applebee's right on the edge of Lake Buena Vista, and a local touristy restaurant in Daytona Beach. At both of these places, I received top-notch service.

(Not sure what to wit means), I've got my free drink in Jacksonville; come to think of it now, considering the size of the city, it was one of my friendliest business trip, I should go back there.

[High Treason]

Hank, on 05 February 2013 - 04:14 PM, said:

Is that the influenza talking or all for real?
I had the flue twice, high fever, knocked out for like a week; and still remember the nightmares, actually, I made a map out of one reoccurring nightmare. ... so I'm asking ... just looking for ideas

Pretty much for real, the gas men started at 6:30 AM this time, but half the street went out and told them to STFU (it is illegal to make noises like that before 8AM and as the leak had been fixed, the work wasn't urgent) - I am daring to hope that I am over the worst of the influenza now, I can almost see properly now and my skin is regaining some color, still constantly tired right now though.

[Lunick]

http://www.gog.com/gamecard/daikatana So... Daikatana anyone?

[Kathy]

Captain Awesome, on 06 February 2013 - 04:28 PM, said:

If your bill is $30, 15% is $4.50. If $4.50 is a big deal to you, you shouldn't be eating out in a traditional restaurant anyway.

I don't remember I ever wasted $30 in a restaraunt/bar. And yeah, today I had lunch for $2,5 and ate ice cream for $3 after that. So, $4,5 is a big deal for a tip.

Quote

Try Taco Bell.

We don't have those here.

[Lunick]

I wish I could get a decent lunch for $2.50...

[Kathy]

It depends. I'm not eating much. Decent lunch with soup, steak and tea would have been somewhere aroung $5. I just had a soup and tea with pancakes. Then again, I did eat ice-cream after that. )

P.S. I looked up that USA's minimum wage is 7,25 per hour. It is larger than my wage. Yeah...

[Inspector Lagomorf]

Burnett, on 07 February 2013 - 06:34 AM, said:

P.S. I looked up that USA's minimum wage is 7,25 per hour. It is larger than my wage. Yeah...

And there's an effort to raise it to $10.