Expanding Tip Jars

I happen to be one who throws the change (no bills though) into tip jars when they are sitting there, however I frequently ask myself why I do this. When I opened up MSN and saw the above picture with the following title: What's with all those Tip Jars?
I had to read it. (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/YourMoney.aspx?cp-documentid=5084263)

I find it apalling myself that there are more and more tip jars sitting next to registers where the employee hardly has to offer any kind of customer service. I find them out at Subway a lot. Granted.... okay... some of the folks make my sandwich a little better than the others, but really, they are just making a sandwich. You can't screw it up too bad when I'm standing there telling you exactly what to put on it and I'm watching you to make sure you're doing it right. Typically, I pay, get my own drink and find my own seat. I even clean off my own table when I'm done eating. No one comes out from behind the bar to ask if I would like a re-fill. So, what exactly am I tipping for? That you were able to perform the requirement of your job? Now, I have seen them at places where there are shows put on.... like the fudge shops. They are cooking the fudge in front of you and they sell the fudge when it's done.... but MAN they can put on a damn good performance as well. And they sing the same songs each time with a type of cheeriness that says they never get tired of doing it. THIS I will tip for and don't mind it. Maybe I should put a tip jar on my desk. I do my job well, perhaps my employees and coworkers would tip me? Maybe my boss would? I think why I even bother throwing my change into other's jars and it is simply because when it's only 75 cents, I feel like a cheapskate if I'm seen pocketing it. But the truth is, I want my 75 cents. I have a son that it comes in handy for at school lunches. Do employers even know that some of their employees are doing this? I just don't get it.

The Late, Great C-Section Debate

Okay, so my title doesn't exactly make sense, but I liked it anyway.

As you all know, though I don't really have any readers yet, I have become part of a pregnancy web-site. It is very informative, and I like following what my baby is doing week by week. Like most of the pregnancy sites out there, it also has message boards.

Most of the topics on these boards, albeit informative, actually kind of gross me out. They involve a lot of question from mother's to be about smelly discharge and lumps found 'down there'. In my opinion, go straight to your doctor for these problems. However, there is a lot of motivation and enthusiasm to be found as well. First time mothers who are scared and would just like advice, and mothers who are very excited to 'post' at the top of their lungs that they are "HAVING A BOY". I respond to posts that I feel I have any knowledge at all in that might help the other person out or comfort them in some way. Otherwise, I leave them alone as I am not going to post just to see my name (that's what this site is for:)
Regardless....
I do believe due to one posting I have been outcast from the group. What will I do now?
The subject line read c-section versus natural.

The initial post, in a nutshell was a woman wanting to know why people would elect to have c-sections. I had an unplanned c-section with my first child. I am now electing to have a c-section with my second child, so I thought I would tell her why I was doing so.

I won't go through the entire lengthy post again here, but roughly I stated that I was electing to have a second c-section because I had weighed the risks (which were very low in both cases of a.) having a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and b.) a cesearean.
In all honesty I can say the complications of my old incision possibly ripping open during a VBAC scares the daylights out of me more than the complications of a c-section gone awry.

Yes, I understand that the possibility of something going wrong in either case is like 2%, but human fear is not always logical people! I am much more comfortable with what I am familiar with. I am familiar with a c-section. I know what to expect in delivery and in recovery.

I was bombarded with remarks from mother's who obviously look down their keyboards at me now about how natural child birth is the best thing etc. etc. etc. I have to say.... most had not even had their first babies yet which kind of frustrated me.
What frustrated me more was, I was not attacking anyone. The post asked why would someone elect to have a c-section. I was answering the question.

What I further thought was, why do these women care what I'm choosing to do? It's none of their business. It's a personal choice. Why do they let my choice bother them so much. It further got twisted into celebraties who have c-sections just because they can. Who cares, if they have the money and they aren't afraid of surgery? My son was no less healthy than babies that are delivered vaginally. Are there actual reasons (besides the know complications) that a vaginally delivered baby is any 'better' than a baby delivered by c-section? If it makes those women more comfortable who cares that they do it? I don't believe that my friend who delivered vaginally is a better mother than I am....
So what exactly is the big deal? Just because it's not the way you would do it, does that make it wrong?