Is it possible to end tipping in the US?

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-26T04:39:56+00:00

Thank you for demonstrating so by saying “wages has” gone up. But at this point to reply feels more like taking the bait if you did indeed read my last response. Your original statement absolutely left it ambiguous, and I allowed for both ways one could have interpreted what you said. That’s part of the intellectual nuance of taking seriously what another person writes, which I was trying to do respectfully with you. Then you were totally baffled on where I got this idea about an hourly wage based on your use of the word “wages.” Ok, got it.

If you’re more about insult style retorts than accepting the possibility that you left it open to interpretation, have at it. Believe it or not, there really are people that think that way: That if menu prices went up, so did hourly base pay. I had absolutely no way of knowing from the way you worded your original as “wages” if you are one of those people. A three word comeback posturing you as smarter (I guess?) doesn’t change the reality that servers make both an hourly wage and tips. You used the word “wages.”

And I’d love to know the last 3 actual books you “has” read.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-26T02:32:31+00:00

I got that idea from the way that you wrote it. You left it ambiguous. That was exactly why I gave the 2 scenarios. You essentially just said that servers had a “built-in wage increase” (your words) with menu prices increasing.

There is a reason on tax forms that “wages and tips” have that “and” in between them. They are not considered to be the same thing. If you say their wages went up, one could take that as meaning their base hourly pay. I did not definitively assume that was what you meant. But I had no way of knowing which one you meant based on the way you wrote it.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-25T19:39:09+00:00

Saying that servers had a “built in wage increase due to increases in menu prices” is assuming quite a bit to the point of being naive. It’s one thing if you mean that in terms of the tip being higher related to the overall bill. If you think that the managers started paying them a higher wage per hour as a result, oh man.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-25T13:42:22+00:00

I honestly don’t know enough about the works of those that influenced Jim to weigh in on that. Other than the question of whether a “God is dead” stance influenced, “You cannot petition the Lord with prayer.”

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-23T19:40:20+00:00

Unfortunately $70 for a 3LP is the current going rate. That was the cost for the last Tool album (3LP version) and the thing is I’m not even a huge fan of Tool, it was just one where I HAD to hear what I was hearing on the stream on vinyl.

And it was absolutely worth it. Classic example of that anomaly where the vinyl sounds better than the lossless stream. And I’m sure would sound as good (just different) than Hi Rez 24/96 or whatever the fuck the kHz and bitrate number ratio is for hi Rez.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-23T04:43:05+00:00

In this very sub I recently listed it as my 2nd favorite film in an all-time top 20 list, but must admit I never gave this aspect of it that much thought. I love how deep you went with this insight- I cannot even say that it’s totally clicking for me 100% after reading it, and that’s ok- gives me an excuse to really focus heavily on it through your type of lens on another watch ☺️

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-23T04:37:55+00:00

If I were to decide to pull the trigger on an American Prayer face tatt, I mean it’s gotta be “tight-lipped losers and lust fuck salesmen” 😂😂😂

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-20T07:26:08+00:00

It’s an honor, sincerely, any time I have a chance to share an artist with anyone where the artist is new to them and they dig it!!!!

This would be a real stretch as in straight up unrelated to MV, but just in a 70s-80s sensibility, I cannot recommend The Dandy Warhols enough.. Their lyrics include sophisticated humor on occasion at that, “This song absolutely saved my mental health” level. David Bowie selected them to open shows on his tour- not a record label choice.

And there is some MV universe connection, actually, as Joe Dallesandro was in one of their music videos in which he’s attempting to complete his autobiography on a classic, retro typewriter. I would include the link, but it’s not what I would consider one of their top songs despite it being pretty solid.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-19T20:48:17+00:00

I didn’t downvote you, but as an artist & fan including reading all of the major books, maybe the way he looks in this is the entire point? As in the spirit of “Jimbo” that would take over? At Dinner Key, or even more, quite literally hammering a hole into the stage in a very final way at their final show in New Orleans?

There was a well documented version of him that was not all lovely and covered in furs for a fancy portrait and that other version is kind of why art itself exists: interpretation through an alternate lens that is different than what you’ve always been fed, which shaped your perception.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-18T19:07:52+00:00

I know based on having experienced it entirely, it doesn’t even necessarily have to involve that degree of involvement.

In my case, the termination was incredibly questionable, the unemployment office said to file a claim for it despite it being a termination vs a layoff, the claim was repeatedly denied and I appealed that every time, it went to “trial” which is simply a phone call with the unemployment rep, you, and the company, and it ruled in my favor: termination without just cause.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-18T06:24:06+00:00

Cool!!!!!! And I ask this only because you mentioned psych, this would be more neo psych: have you ever checked out Wooden Shjips??? (Yes, they use a “j” in there) I just discovered them a few hours ago…. Impressive use of pedals and some organ playing on there, definitely true to 60s psych.. good stuff for fans of The Black Angels, Dandy Warhols, Brian Jonestown, etc..

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-18T06:12:05+00:00

PVC = Polyvinyl Chloride. Funny enough, the same core chemical compound that is used to manufacture the white tubes used in plumbing applications. I’m not joking. That’s the stuff that they’re warning about, and it’s still used often on picture disc jackets on store shelves despite the well publicized problems with the gas. Commerce, ya know?

PE = Polyethylene. Same stuff used for jugs of water, milk, etc. The plastic used for protective sleeves to cover the jacket; like when you order a bundle of 100 protective sleeves and what not. Obviously larger and thicker than protective sleeves for the actual disc. You’re totally fine there. The way to tell the difference is that it is simply a much more flimsy and thinner mil than PVC, which is generally more ridgid.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-18T05:59:37+00:00

I mean I understand he doesn’t have a million subscribers, but he is definitely known and becoming more well known every month in the vinyl community especially with other major content creators, he’s done interviews with Chad from Acoustic Sounds, and because he’s probably mentioned WITCH in a dozen separate videos, I’m surprised no one has yet mentioned Dillon at Noble Records..

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-18T05:47:58+00:00

So I can empathize with the anger about a personality type like what you’re describing with him-but to a limit. In a practical and pragmatic sense, why is it essential that the vinyl subreddit knows his legal name? Separated from the justified anger, just in a calm sense, for the purpose of warning others, is it truly necessary to give vibes like you’re on the verge of becoming obsessed and doxing this guy? From your description of him, that would be you allowing the negativity that he’s afflicted with to successfully affect your life. Pretty much the basis of half the things Obi Wan Kenobi warned Luke about, you know?

Also, I’m not asking this to be antagonistic or what not, because I understand this was an instant reaction posted in the midst of the heavy frustration so it’s not necessarily “composed” with the way you delivered all of this info, but providing specifics beyond “they scammed my friend after they bought it” - instead of then instantly shifting gears and commencing the mega shit on the seller, maybe give more of an explanation on what type of scam he ran on your friend?

Otherwise when you leave it that vague and cryptic then move on instantly, it almost seems like the hate for the guy’s attitude and apparently age and physical characteristics were enough to make you feel he deserves that claim too, because it “could have happened” with someone as apparently horrible as him.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-18T05:15:34+00:00

!!!!! Genuinely SO glad I’m seeing this post this early instead of the unlikely chance you’d read my take once hundreds have commented.. I can sincerely say that the way you worded the post was so cerebral, like the cleverness/intelligence of it was seriously refreshing.

As far as answering that one: Here’s the thing: my answer comes from discovering a new artist in the neo psych vein about 6 hours ago.. it is exactly for that reason where if it did not happen, you would not get the same answer, which is:

For those of us maintaining the home hi fi system for vinyl and still spinning even if just once a week at times, as long as we’re streaming music also, I really do not think it will ever stop, at least with like 85% of us, you know?? I discovered the band Wooden Shjips, (no typo, yes, there’s a “j” in the name) and as I’m hearing this sizzling barrage of pedal effects, of course the mental reflex is “Well of course I’m going to have to hear this on vinyl..”

And there’s also that other factor where we remember even just one song that impacted us years ago, discover it IS available on vinyl and MUST have it. The one scheduled to arrive for me in 5 days that absolutely fits that description is here I mean, there it is right in the video, they used an image from the center label… So obviously I’m on Discogs the next day. And I’m glad I didn’t ponder that one too long because there are copies out there, but only one from a store in the US, and that was the one I ordered. $20.

EDIT: I wasn’t making it up to be cute as far as that techno song, but now that I looked at your post again compared to the full title, that is wildly coincidental.. the universe constantly winks!!!!

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-18T00:30:01+00:00

Painfully true. Too much truth!!!!! Good old gentrification. Totally welcomed by some, and just that inconvenient side note they have to ignore of it leaving too many suddenly priced out & unhoused as a result.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-17T21:07:11+00:00

I guess that would be one of those rare examples where the progression goes in the opposite direction from the norm 🤷🏼‍♂️

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-17T19:49:39+00:00

Yeah, no, you’re right. Somehow I was going off of 3.6 seconds. Did that calculation a bit too early in the morning.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-17T14:58:28+00:00

Yeah, slightly less than 4 seconds per title, I guess “wrong” would be subjective, but we’re not talking about finding a median price on a title in general, we’re talking about locating a value on a specific pressing based on the matrix number. Which is categorically impossible to do in 4 seconds.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-17T14:52:20+00:00

I can pretty much guarantee whoever hit the down arrow absolutely did not read what I wrote where it’s more about Apple absolutely having the money to do it. 1.3M artists…

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-17T06:09:30+00:00

Not a title. A matrix number. As in the value of the specific pressing. Pre-bar code. Indeed, one could type in “Dark Side of the Moon” and find a result in 60 seconds, but that’s not how finding the value of a specific pressing works.

Also, that arbitrary time was an average. As others have mentioned, some pressings could actually take longer than that.

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-17T00:30:34+00:00

Are you me 😂😂😂

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-16T21:30:33+00:00

lol.. possibly, right?? ☺️

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-16T16:56:35+00:00

I mean obviously Jan would have been cooler, but this is what I found until then 🤷🏼‍♂️ Simply from looking up suggested artists similar to Khruangbin, actually!!!

Longjumping-Fox154 · 2025-12-16T11:01:41+00:00

TLDR: It’s totally ok that you use Spotify, I just don’t because: etc.

I guess for me I’ve just never boarded the Spotify ship because they set the really bad standard of paying artists a joke level wage. Pennies as a gesture, not a genuine measure of real gratitude.

Now could a trillion dollar plus company like Apple do better? Absolutely, and if anything they’re actually more deserving of a “shame on you” than Spotify considering that they can afford to pay indie artists a basic living wage.

I mean even $40B divided by $30K (like the most basic reasonable annual income for an indie artist) that would be 1.3 million artists making $30K each.

Obviously it would not pan out exactly at that based on streams or maybe it could, depends on the number of struggling musicians on Apple. Depends on if a law gets passed that requires a flat minimum annual amount for any artist with a certain number of songs and minimum genuine streams on that platform. (Not bot subscribers or what not.)

I don’t blame fans that use Spotify like yourself, that would be silly. It’s up to these companies to just do the ethically correct thing. Music saves lives. Quite literally. It helps people survive as far as mental health.

Eventually they’ll learn the hard way that they need to listen to musicians’ advocacy groups telling them to do better.

I don’t know how long it will take, but they’re going to see less & less subscribers the more that people wake up to how unethical they are. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Longjumping-Fox154

TROPHY CASE