As the new year nears, one can hear the word “hope” in constant use. “I hope you have a Happy New Year” our friends keep reminding us. The New Testament of the Holy Bible states that “now abideth faith, hope, and love, even these three: but the chief of these is love.” But if love is the chief virtue, hope cannot be far behind.
Hope is defined as “a wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment.” What a marvelous feeling to look forward to the future with the expectation that the future will fulfill one’s wishes. We are told that people who commit suicide are so often those individuals who have lost all hope and become despondent, meaning that they have become depressed because of the loss of that hope. People who have faith and trust in a loving God have no fear of the future because they preserve their hope even in the face of overwhelming problems. One can often hear the victims of floods, fires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters proclaim that, although they have been saddened by their losses, they have not lost their hope and their trust in God that in the future their lot will improve.
Many individuals find in their religion that their hope in God gives purpose to their lives and offers them something to look forward to after death. Many even go so far as to claim that the life they are living now is not of much consequence. There are others who believe that those who don’t follow their religion and worship their God must live a life with no purpose or hope since they have nothing to look forward to. Atheists and agnostics claim that all of this is wrong and perhaps even arrogant.
Some secular atheists claim that of the three Christian virtues, they possess two - love and hope. They have merely discarded faith in a supernatural being. One of the atheists was heard to say, “I have hope in the future and love for humanity. I too try to take care of myself and others, including those I have never and will never meet face-to-face. I too donate time and money, not to a church community, but to a town community, and indeed a global community. I do not have children, but if I did, I would certainly attempt to model sound ethical behavior and the values of compassion, tolerance, and scientific skepticism. I give because it is the right thing to do. I do my best to treat others how I wish to be treated. I need no promises of heavenly rewards or threats of hell. I recognize that I would like to be treated with kindness and respect, and I strive to treat others in the same manner.”
In contrast to a Christian who finds this life to be of little value and to be little more than preparation for the hope of a future in an afterlife, atheists offer another view of the value of this life. The evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins offers this view:
“…the scientific worldview is a poetic worldview, it is almost a transcendental worldview. We are amazingly privileged to be born at all and to be granted a few decades -- before we die forever -- in which we can understand, appreciate and enjoy the universe. And those of us fortunate enough to be living today are even more privileged than those of earlier times. We have the benefit of those earlier centuries of scientific exploration. Through no talent of our own, we have the privilege of knowing far more than past centuries. Aristotle would be blown away by what any schoolchild could tell him today. That's the kind of privileged century in which we live. That's what gives my life meaning. And the fact that my life is finite, and that it's the only life I've got, makes me all the more eager to get up each morning and set about the business of understanding more about the world into which I am so privileged to have been born.”
The Germans have a word for it - Weltanschauung, which is defined as “a comprehensive conception or apprehension of the world especially from a specific standpoint.”
QUESTIONS: What is your worldview? What is the purpose of your life on earth? What do you hope for?
A friend of mine, apparently with too much time on his hands, recently emailed this bit of trivia to me.
Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than for the U.S. Treasury.
Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.
It is impossible to lick your elbow.
The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...) The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $16,400
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
The first novel ever written on a typewriter? Tom Sawyer.
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
Spades - King David Hearts - Charlemagne Clubs -Alexander, the Great Diamonds - Julius Caesar
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died because of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested? A. Obsession
Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter 'A'? A. One thousand
Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers have in common? A. All were invented by women.
Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? A. Honey
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase…“Goodnight, sleep tight.”
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them “Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.” It's where we get the phrase “mind your P's and Q's.”
Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. “Wet your whistle” is the phrase inspired by this practice.
At least 75% of the bloggers who read this post tried to lick their elbow!
Video: An interesting video that shows the facts of where the world is now and where it is heading in both society, industry, and the computer age.
Just the Facts TV is a bi-monthly video podcast that focuses on interesting facts and fun trivia. The unusual facts and figures may not boost your I.Q., but they might really impress your friends at your next party. I hope you enjoy viewing these episodes at your leisure.
It’s that time of year again. Last minute Christmas shoppers are rushing around frantically trying to find gift bargains. Now we learn that about 20 percent of them will settle for purchasing gift cards as a last resort.
I have never understood the practice of giving gift cards. The purchaser will exchange U.S. currency, which clearly states that it is “legal tender for all debts, public and private” and thus can be used unconditionally anywhere and anytime, for a gift card or certificate that can only be used at a certain business under certain conditions for a limited time without penalty. In addition, with a few exceptions, the businesses issuing the gift cards can impose a “service fee” of up to $2.50 a month after as little as six months of non-use of the card. I think gift cards are, in many cases, gifts to businesses rather than to consumers. The result is that about $8 billion per year of gift card value is left unspent by the persons receiving the cards.
I have just retrieved from a desk drawer a Disney Dollar that was left over from a visit to Disneyland about 25 years ago. For each Disney Dollar I purchased, a dollar of U.S. currency was paid. Today, as I inspect the Disney Dollar bill, I can see that it displays a picture of Mickey Mouse in the center, it is signed by Scrooge McDuck, Treasurer and clearly states on the front of the bill that it “may be used as legal tender only at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.” As to whether Disneyland still honors the bill, I don’t know. Can you imagine how much money Disneyland has made from unspent Disney Dollars?
We no longer purchase gift cards for presents. Instead, we give each member of the family, regardless of age, a new, crisp $100 bill enclosed inside a greeting card with a message telling them to spend it on a gift of their choice. It saves us the hassle of the shopping madness during the Christmas rush and allows the recipients of the gift to choose the time and place to purchase a gift of their choice. Everyone in the family seems to be happy with that practice.
Video: A Consumer Reports Warning About Gift Cards
Having recently received a gift certificate for Starbucks, an establishment I usually don't visit for a variety of reasons, I suddenly became aware of the tip jar. A business that charges up to four dollars for a cup of coffee has the audacity to put out a tip jar in front of the cash register. The tip jar is not for the extra change you might receive from your purchase. No, as evidenced by the dollar bills stuffed in it, no change is expected; thus, the minimum tip appears to be a dollar. Something else that soon becomes evident is that tipping will get that mocha to you, not only a little faster, but with a little better quality to the drink.
A tip is defined as “a material favor or gift, usually money, given in return for service.” It is a gift in addition to the advertised bill of fare.
I can’t vouch for where the idea for the tip jar originated, but I remember reading somewhere that the concept developed in Florida when a cashier at a restaurant placed a tip jar in front of the cash register. Fellow employees told him that it was a crazy idea - that no one would put a tip in a jar for merely taking their money at a cash register. But by the end of the shift, there was a tidy sum in the jar. From there, the idea of the tip jar grew until today the tip jar is ubiquitous. Now you will find it at coffeehouses, sandwich shops, and ice-cream parlors as the practice continues to spread.
We have all heard that the word “TIP” is an acronym meaning “To Insure Promptness”. It is thought that tipping descended from feudal society, where a noble lord or lady, as a act of charity, would throw a few coins to serfs to show their appreciation for a good deed.
Unlike a waiter or waitress in a restaurant, who perform full-service jobs at less than the minimum wage with tips expected to make up the difference, employees at counter-service businesses normally receive sufficient base pay, and customers aren't obligated to tip. An individual having a thirty-second transaction with a customer, in which no service is performed having a direct benefit to the customer, is certainly not entitled to a tip as compared to a waiter or waitress in a restaurant, who may be servicing diners for up to an hour or more.
Our local newspaper recently carried an article in which holiday tipping suggestions were offered for those individuals performing certain services:
* Maid - one week's pay. This is for maids in your employ whom you pay directly. If you use a service and never know who is coming out, don't tip at all. * Gardener - $20-50. * USPS Mail carrier - Non-cash gifts with value up to $20. This is for mail carriers that you know and see regularly. Read more below. * UPS - Regular driver - $15. * FedEx - Not allowed to accept cash gifts, but a gift up to $25 in value is permissible. * Apartment building superintendent - $50-200. Tip less if you tip throughout the year. * Apartment Doorman/concierge - $10-80 or more each, depending upon building. The fewer doormen the building has, the more you tip each one. Those who serve you more should get a bigger tip. * Apartment building handyman - $15-40 each. * Apartment building elevator operators - $15-40 each. * Shampoo - $10 * Manicurist/pedicurist - $15 or more * Hairdresser/stylist - $15 or more * Massage therapist - $15 or more. Read more about tipping massage therapists at www.frappydoo.com. * Newspaper carrier - Daily - $25 - 50, weekend - $10 * Regular overnight delivery person - $10-30 * Teacher - $25-100. Give a gift certificate to a bookstore or office supply store. If you know the teacher's hobbies or interests, then a gift certificate would be nice from the local movie theater, hobby shop, mall, fine restaurant or day spa. Some teachers might feel uncomfortable receiving gifts around grade time. If you are unsure, ask your principal first. * Coaches, tutors, ballet instructors, music teachers - A small gift from your child. * Garbage collector(s) - $15-30 each. Nowadays, most garbage collectors are really truck drivers. The truck has an arm that does all the work. If this is your situation, there is no need to tip. * Baby sitter - One night's pay, plus a small gift from your child. * Full-time nanny - One week's to one month's pay based on tenure, plus a small gift from your child. * Au pair - One week's pay, plus a small gift from your child. * Day care service - $25-70, plus a small gift from your child. * Parking attendants - $10-20 each * Personal trainer - $60-100 upon reaching goal. * Country Club - I believe in tipping at Christmas regardless of the club's tipping policy. I recommend a minimum of $50 for your waiters, locker-room personnel, front-desk employees, and golf professionals. For head waiters or special service, make it $100. * Dog groomer - 1/4 - 1/2 cost of a session. * Dog walker or sitter - 1-2 week's pay.
If I had tipped according to the recommendations in the article, I would have paid over a thousand dollars in tips before I ever started to buy gifts for my family.
Why don’t we just end tips (and bonuses) for people who are merely doing the jobs for which they were hired and instead pay them an adequate wage or salary? Then, if they don’t perform well in the job, they can always be dismissed.
What next? A tip jar at the cashier's register at the supermarket?
Video: From your barber to your mailman, you're expected to be generous during the holidays. But how much do you give and to whom? Let's find out.
Video: Some simple advice for people who don't know how to tip waiters, waitresses and bartenders.
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