for people who’ve always wanted to see what a real blogger looks like but have been afraid to peek in their windows to find out. These events really are growing, so if you think you might want to come to Philly and sample the atmosphere, Scott gives the details.
The benefits to posting my Friday Random Ten just under the wire include not have to rummage for other people’s FRT posts after the fact. So before I hit play on the randomizer, here are a few names on which to click: Andrea, Ben, Bob, Fred, Luna, Mac, Marisa, Mark and Matt.
1. Talk – Coldplay (X & Y)
2. Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl – U2 (Best of 1980-1990/B-sides)
3. Little Heaven – Toad the Wet Sprocket (In Light Syrup)
4. At My Most Beautiful – R.E.M. (Up)
5. Beautiful Girl – INXS (The Best of INXS)
6. Happy Day Mama – Better than Ezra (How Does Your Garden Grow?)
7. Nobody’s Fault but Mine – 77’s (Live at the LPPOA)
8. Go Down Easy – Over the Rhine (Good Dog Bad Dog: The Home Recordings – independent version)
9. If You Want to – Lost Dogs (Mutt)
10. Before You Were Born – Toad the Wet Sprocket (Fear)
Disclosures:
*I was just browsing MySpace sites when I realized Toad the Wet Sprocket has four songs on their page that you can download. If you’re not someone who appreciates a decent Toad song, first, why on earth not?—and second, you might want to download a couple from their page. Click here.
Hey, it’s a blog about Lynchburg, Virginia, birthplace of the Pearly Gators, and destination for several great road trips from my youth—hmmm, now I know it’s kind of famous for something else…
The Friday Random Ten will be slightly delayed this week, but I am pleased to report the Project H.O.M.E. event last night was quite smashing. Several familiar faces showed up, and even a few local celebrities…
Albert provides some imagery, along with his first impressions.
As has been noted at Philly Future, tonight is Project H.O.M.E.’s Young Friends Event (click for more details). I hope to see many people there; I even hope to recognize a few…
Well this guy does. His blog consists of pictures of old concert tickets from the 80’s.
AJS—it’s unheard of by most Americans, yet it affects so many. It’s a condition almost as mysterious as the factors that trigger it. Any day now I expect to begin seeing ads for the latest AJS remedy from Pfizer or Eli Lilly.
So What is AJS? Well, it’s quite scary, so be forewarned—you might consider sending the children out of the room for a minute or two.
I saw something similar to this in a convenience store this morning. It’s a novelty “fire extinguisher” lighter. The first thought through my head was one of concern for a very small person (roughly between 5 and 6 inches in height), in an act of desperation, reaching for this item to try to put out a very small fire somewhere.
Yes, I know. It took me about two seconds to think of this, and still, I spent far too much time imagining the scenario.
Scott announces that this Saturday afternoon, the Philly area influencers’ meetup will be called to order at the Nodding Head on Sansom Street.
Influencers? Hmmm…
Upon hearing the news, I began mentioning it to various people I saw yesterday. Couldn’t believe how many people didn’t know who she was. Read about her here.
Will Bunch shares some details on how Cuba manages to have a better hurricane survival rate than most vulnerable areas of the U.S. Apparently the “cry wolf” philosophy of our news media figures into the problem.
I never would’ve suspected…
I have been holding my tongue on the ever-popular Harriet Miers issue. I’ve been reading and hearing about how she’s a good conservative nominee, a liberal in neocon’s clothing and everything between.
I, for one, don’t care how liberal or conservative she is—and when did that become the measuring stick for a prospective Supreme Court justice anyway? If she’s a decent judge, it shouldn’t matter what her political leanings are, but unfortunately, that’s all that matters to too many of us who are brash enough to share our thoughts on the issue. That said, I do have thoughts on the issue.
I always understood that there are certain freedoms one surrenders when entering the U.S. Military, but it’s still a bit chilling to learn of the censoring of All the King’s Horses. (Via The Tattered Coat)
I took around sixty photos in ten minutes or so. Nine Ten of them are currently visible on Flickr, in a set called “Lake Luxembourg at sunrise.” Now if I could just get the birds to stop flying away from me. Either that, or a much better zoom.
-just a quote lifted from my Google home page. I always dug Ray Bradbury material.
For other area bloggers wishing to help, but without the convenience of Blogads, click here.
It’s that time. Set it to random, hit play, see what comes out. (Playing well with others: Andrea, Ben, Bob, Fred, Kim, Luna, Mac, Marisa, Mark’s “free and legal” edition, and Matt)
Disclosures:
I’m amazed at how many people I’ve met don’t seem to comprehend the concept of tipping, especially among those who dine out regularly. (NOTE: To be fair, a lot of people get confused about how much to actually tip; I’m not referring to them, but rather to folks who are intentionally stingy with their restaurant gratuities, often treating servers as if they were trained pets.)
There are things I’ve overheard in restaurants from nearby tables where people will complain the waiter didn’t smile enough, or didn’t laugh at their attempts at humor—thus the tip will only be five or ten percent (or worse, nothing at all). I’m always initially startled when I hear comments like, ” Why tip? They’re just doing what they’re supposed to do.”
Regrettably, I’ve never gotten around to informally surveying the people I hear saying these things. I always want to ask if they know that the wait staff minimum wage is typically half the actual minimum wage. Federally speaking, that amounts to, oh, 2.58 per hour. And if that’s all the server in your section of the restaurant is getting, I’d say you’re not entitled to anything beyond the bare minimum either (as far as service goes—though there are some out there with the exceptional energy to make up for even the most inconsiderate patron).
Unfortunately, due to some people’s attitudes on tipping, it’s as if wait staff employees are among a special class of Americans who only deserve what your average teenage fast food worker makes if they jump through hoops. Interestingly, and I’m sure it has more to do with the restaurant lobby than anything else, most wait staff employees really do depend on customers just to make the bare legal minimum, as if making the minimum wage should be considered such an achievement. And they’re often taxed in their paychecks as if they are making the minimum (whether or not they do).
Even if your food came out cold, late, or was in some other way messed up; even if your server wasn’t chatting it up with you all night. There can be other contributing factors, often beyond your server’s control, for poor food quality or untimely service. And like any other stranger you come across, you never know what kind of horrible day your server may be having. If that somehow makes you feel like you have a right to reduce your server’s wages to sweatshop level, please reconsider.
My point? Show a little compassion. Tip your waiters and waitresses well. Try starting at 15% (for only the worst dining experience), and working with a sliding scale that has a decent meal raking in around 20% for the hardworking server who’s probably already getting stiffed by a quarter of his or her customers anyway.
For more blogging on this subject, read Jess’s post
Had Albert not mentioned it last night, I would have completely forgotten to watch The Colbert Report’s first couple episodes.
I knew Steven Colbert was a very funny man, but I didn’t expect the interplay between him and other, more serious celebrities to work that well. So far, I’m impressed.
