Stupid People #2 – Soprano’s Italian and American Grill Lake George NY

September 15, 2004 by · 2 Comments
Filed under: Can't Make This Up, Food and Drink, Life 

In Lake George, NY, charges have been dropped against Humberto Taveras after he was alleged to have left a less-than-desired tip for dinner. (Newsday story)

Mr. Taveras ate at the restaurant on September 9 with a party of 8 people. He wasn’t happy with the service provided by the restaurant, so he left a tip of about 12%. The menu listed a mandatory gratuity of 18% for parties of 6 or more. When he left a smaller tip, the restaurant owner (Joe Soprano) had him arrested for theft of services.

The Warren County District Attorney dropped the charges yesterday, stating that customers cannot be required to pay a gratuity.

What’s most worrisome to me is the attitude of the restaurant owner that a gratuity is required. A gratuity is just that – something given in thanks for good service. It is never required, though you shouldn’t be too surprised if you have to wait forever for food that has been spit upon if you come back to a the same place after leaving a lousy tip.

I generally tip 15%. Twenty years ago, I can remember the expected tip being 10%. Now, it seems like 20% is not only expected but demanded for average service. I generally use 15% because it’s fairly easy to calcluate in my head. I do tend to round up, especially if I get good service, but I’m also not afraid to reduce the tip for poor service.

A mandatory gratuity is an oxymoron. The folks at Soprano’s qualify as morons as well.

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Stupid People #1 – Texas Rangers

September 15, 2004 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Current Affairs, Life, Sports 

(Plenty of people being stupid – it’s time to write a few up.)

Texas Rangers rookie reliever Frank Francisco was arrested Tuesday after an altercation at Monday night’s Oakland A’s game vs. the Rangers in Oakland. (AP Story at SI.com)

It seems that the game was very close in the bottom of the ninth, and the Rangers had just tied the score with a home run. Some trash talk (note, that *talk*, nothing physical) started between the A’s fans and the Texas bullpen. This apparently enraged Francisco, who threw a metal folding chair into the stands. It bounced off one man’s head and hit a woman in the face, breaking her nose.

He’s been arrested and charged with aggravated assault. The game was suspended for about a half-hour and the fans were cleared from the area. The teams and umpires decided to resume the game rather than declare a forfeit (for which side is unclear).

This guy is an idiot. He’s playing in the majors – he’s gotta be making a few hundred thousand dollars in salary. Anybody making that much can afford to hear a little trash talk without overreacting.

Even stupider is the Texas coach, Buck Showalter. He claimed that it was the fans’ fault that one of his overpaid players just had to throw a heavy object at fans.

I hope the league comes to its senses and suspends Francisco and fines Showalter.

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