Someday, I'll go back to Montana...

Close of trading Friday.


Screenshot from yahoo.ca

Questions of Society: Imagine if the South won...

A lot of American money. Photo from Flickr/Creative Commons

A woman in Georgia found a million-dollar bill and promptly used it to buy $1700 worth of merchandise at a Wal-Mart. Problem is, the US doesn't have a million dollar bill, and the note in question was purchased in a joke shop by the woman's husband. She thought the bill was real, and is now facing charges of forgery.

Here are my Questions of Society...

1. If you just happen to come across a piece of large currency, which is clearly too much for the government to make, why would you immediately think it's real?

2. Could you not read the whole "void, not legal tender, actual cash value: one-fifth of a cent, Mr. Cashier, do not honour" printed in smaller letters than the ONE MILLION DOLLARS?

3. Even if that was a real million-dollar bill, why would you use it to buy stuff at Wal-Mart?

Do you agree?: Canadians don't tip enough, according to BMO Mosaik MasterCard

cbc.ca posted the results of a survey done by BMO Bank of Montreal Mosaik MasterCard about tipping etiquette. It seems that Canadians leave less than the recommended 15% to workers of food service, taxi service, and beauty salons.

-Pizza and food delivery people (40 per cent of Canadians tip under 15 per cent).

-Taxi and limo drivers (40 per cent of Canadians tip under 15 per cent).

-People who offer manicures, pedicures, facials and waxing (only 13 per cent of Canadians tip higher than 15 per cent).

-Hair stylists (12 per cent of Canadians leave nothing; 30 per cent of Canadians tip less than 15 per cent).

-Hair salon owners (54 per cent of Canadians will not tip).

I'd like to say I'm guilty. I don't tip enough, simply because I don't know how much to tip. I still don't know how to figure out 15% of something in my head. But I make sure to leave something. If I am at a restaurant and I am paying with a credit card, I'll round up the bill to the nearest 5 or ten dollars, and I always leave my hair cutter $5.00 on the debit machine. I think maybe tips will be better if they're included on the bill. I remember going to a restaurant in Toronto where the food, taxes (at that time, 15% total) and recommended tips were included on the bill. That'll prevent people from tipping too low, and discourage others from tipping too much.

What do you think?