James L. Paris's Blog, page 164

Tactical Pens Gain in Popularity as Citizens Look for Any Edge Against Criminals

We talk a lot about crime, self-defense, and general survival in this space, and do so because personal safety is, quite honestly, under a great deal of pressure these days.

However, one of the struggles plaguing many safety-minded people seeking to be prepared against a sudden street assault is what to do in such a circumstance when they do not possess, or prefer not to use, a truly lethal weapon. The problem many of them have is that even some ���less-than-lethal��� weapons can put them afoul of the law, depending on the part of the country in which they live or to which they travel; stun guns, for example, remain very highly regulated in many parts of the United States.

One way to deal with this issue, and an idea both Jim Paris and I like very much, is to carry as a weapon a tactically-designed version of a standard accessory. There are, for example, ���tactical��� umbrellas that have unique features, to include enhanced reinforcement, that greatly increase their utility as defensive weapons. Something else that is now very popular is the tactical pen. Who does not carry a pen around these days? Well, the tactical pen, like the tactical umbrella, is a uniquely designed and configured version of its ���regular��� counterpart that allows for quick and devastating deployment against an attacker. Here is a brief news item on the tactical pen that appeared earlier this year at KSAT 12 in San Antonio, Texas:

If you see yourself in the market for a self-defense aid that is as covert���and effective���as a tactical pen, you should know that Jim Paris recommends the Strike Pen, a uniquely-designed instrument that can be had for just the cost of shipping - $6.95 inside the U.S., and $9.95 for international shipping. As an added bonus, the Strike Pen comes with a digital instructional guide, 2 Second K.O., that teaches you how to more effectively use your tactical pen in a self-defense situation.

Even many of us who are all for the carrying of firearms as a way to stay safe���think it is a great idea to include such items as tactical pens in our ���arsenals.��� To grab a Strike Pen for yourself, Click Here!

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Savage Shocks Listeners, Bans Phone Calls On Trump - Admits He Really Loves Ted

Trump supporters were shocked the other day when radio talk show host Michael Savage told his listeners that he only wanted to discuss Ted. What happened? Savage was one of Trump's most ardent supporters, and now his show is suddenly all about Ted? Despite his love for Donald Trump, he made it clear to his audience that he really loved Ted more. It all became crystal clear when he explained that the 'Ted' he was referring to was Ted Savage, not Ted Cruz.

Who is Ted Savage?

Teddy (as he is affectionately known) is Savage's poodle, and the center of his latest book, Teddy And Me: Confessions Of A Service Human. Of all of the Savage books I have read, this one was the most unexpected, and caught me more than a bit off guard. No, Teddy does not take on the bad guys like Jack Hatfield (the protagonist in Savage's recent fictional book series), but shares with us a glimpse into his amazingly pampered life. 

Paging through this beautiful book you will see pictures of Teddy being chauffeured around town, going out to dinner, and even helping make a wine selection. It is a love story between a man and his dog, but is this the same Michael Savage that tears liberal callers to shreds more quickly than a wood chipper? Not even Bruce Wayne has such a stark contrast with his alter ego.

I love dogs, but hold no candle to the bond that exists between Savage and Teddy. In fact, I have gone to great lengths to hide my copy of Teddy And Me from my own two dogs. If they saw any of these pictures, they would demand similar treatment. A couple of times per month my dogs get to ride in my jeep to the Wendy's drive-through where they split a $1 hamburger. This would clearly be considered animal abuse compared to the life of Teddy. My dogs don't know how bad they have it - and I intend to keep it that way. 

Teddy Takes A Backseat To No One, And Appears To Even Have His Own Skype Account

Liberals Be Warned

For those love to hate Michael Savage, don't buy this book (don't even dare to page through it). If you love dogs, you will simply love this book (and maybe even end up of liking Savage too). Who knows, England may even lift their ban on Savage after seeing some of these pictures (or at least let him through customs if he brings Teddy along). The book has a little something for everyone, even homosexuals will be inspired by Savage's sense of fashion and large wardrobe of hats.

Conspiracy Theories Already Being Spun

Rather than using his legal name (Rafael) in the presidential primaries, Senator Cruz went by the nickname Ted. Did he know that the book about Teddy Savage would be released just five months before the election? Could he have planned to take advantage of the anticipated popularity of the name Ted? We simply don't know, but believe that this is much more than a coincidence. One thing is clear: even if he had made it to the White House, Ted would have never lived as well as Teddy.

Helping you make the most of God���s money!

James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio

Harvard Professor Says Conservatives Should Be Treated Like Nazis

It should no longer come as a shock to anyone that an academic at what is perhaps America���s most esteemed institution, at least by historical reputation, thinks it is high time for conservatives to be treated like Nazis. In this case, I am speaking about something actually declared by a real, live professor of law at Harvard, Mark Tushnet.

Tushnet, in an article appearing this past Friday at the blog site Balkinization, said, in part, that now that it���s clear conservatives have lost the so-called culture wars, they should be subject to the same hard-line treatment handed to Nazis following the end of the Second World War. What Tushnet is saying is that it is not enough that those in support of traditional social and cultural values are now on the ���outs��� with the narrative in America as spoken by the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government, at all levels; the ���victors��� should go further, and essentially go as far as they can in aggressively carrying their extreme agendas to all corners of the nation, and basically wiping out any vestige of traditional social and moral ideals that may still exist.

Needless to say, there are a lot of flaws with Tushnet���s analogy, logic, etc., not least of which is the fact that, unlike the Nazis, it would be difficult to make the case that conservatives were, by any real measure, the aggressors in the ���wars��� Tushnet puts at issue. Americans oriented on traditional values have found themselves having to defend their positions at every turn, positions that, not all that long ago, would have been seen by just about everyone as ���normal��� or ���average,��� but which have become viewed as extreme not because they actually are, but because they look that way when contrasted to the bizarre postures so often assumed now by the left. As Heritage Foundation senior research fellow Ryan T. Anderson wrote over at The Daily Signal, in response to Tushnet���s piece, ���Liberals aggressively sought in the courts an unlimited abortion license, a redefinition of marriage, and now for transgender bathroom policies throughout the nation. Liberals haven���t been bashful to use the courts to reshape social policy when they couldn���t win at the polls.���

Anderson also took Tushnet to task for his ���Nazis after World War II��� analogy, writing, ���Ah, yes, if the ���losers��� of the American ���culture wars��� are the functional equivalent of racists and Nazis, then Tushnet���s argument works wonderfully. But if Orthodox Jews, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, Latter-Day Saints, faithful Muslims, and other Americans who believe that marriage is the union of a man and woman are decent members of society, maybe Tushnet should reconsider his hostility.���

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

 

Cruz is Finished���Or is He?

As you know by now, Sen.Ted Cruz, the closest challenger to Donald Trump for the GOP nomination during this election season, suspended his bid for the Oval Office last week after losing an Indiana contest that appeared, before last Tuesday, to be closer than the eventual results demonstrated. With the departure of both Cruz and Kasich from the race last week, Trump was roundly referred to as the ���presumptive nominee,��� and his path to the nomination seemed entirely clear of obstacles.

However, on Tuesday���s Glenn Beck radio program, Cruz said that the ���reason we suspended our campaign was that with the Indiana loss, I felt there was no path to victory. If that changes, we will certainly respond accordingly.���

Cruz also said that that he is not going on record to support Trump, presently, largely because the Republican Convention and the general election are still off in the distance, and while he seemed dismissive in the interview about participating in either a face-off at the convention or a run as a third-party candidate, it seems clear that Cruz has not entirely put this year���s presidential run in the rearview mirror.

This leaves unanswered the question of just what Cruz might be looking for as far as a cue that he is still in the running. As we know, there remain a number of well-connected Republicans who cannot abide Trump, and while many of those are not nuts about Cruz, either, several do come from a ���dyed-in-the-wool��� conservative perspective, which puts them in lockstep with espoused Cruz positions. Might Cruz end up going along with a convention fight? Could he actually be fine with contesting for the White House as a third-party candidate?

Once again, hang on; as interesting as things have been so far, it���s really all just getting started.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Report: Pro-Refugee Paul Ryan Sends Own Kids to Exclusionary Catholic School

 

Conservative news organ Breitbart has uncovered that while Paul Ryan, who famously came out last week as a non-supporter of Donald Trump in the wake of the latter���s ���knockout blow��� victory in Indiana, is decidedly against any policy of turning away prospective Muslim immigrants into the U.S., the current Republican Speaker of the House appears to have no such qualms about the application of decidedly exclusionary filters for the benefit of his own family.

Despite the present threat to the West at the hands of radical Islam, Ryan has said that it is not appropriate for the U.S. government to at all weigh the religious beliefs and ideas of those seeking to immigrate into the country, and even went as far as to add his voice of condemnation to Trump���s ���religious test��� for entry into the U.S. when it was first proposed.

However, the Breitbart investigation has revealed that the Catholic school to which Ryan sends his children has a variety of requirements that would, for all practical purposes, exclude Muslims from being admitted. As a matter of fact, according to Breitbart, when they spoke with a representative of the school directly, they were told that there are no presently-enrolled students wearing headscarves. Additionally, the investigation uncovered a school policy that mandates participation by all non-Catholic students in the school���s religious functions and curriculum.

I grew up in the Greater Boston area during the height of the turmoil over forced busing as a means of achieving racial desegregation within the city. Even at a relatively young age, I was aware of the hypocrisy exhibited by many area politicians���including the late Sen. Ted Kennedy���who were all for busing for everyone else���s kids, but who chose to send their own children to exclusive private schools, of which the Bay State has loads. Sadly, this kind of ���do as I say, not as I do��� behavior has been standard for countless numbers of politicians for far too long, and it is precisely this kind of behavior that has given rise to the populist political campaigns this season of both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders.

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

 

With Interest Rates Remaining at All-Time Lows, Your Good Credit is the Key to Profiting

The persistent talk of rising interest rates notwithstanding, consumer loan rates remain among the lowest levels in history, and the chronically stagnant economy, which shows little sign of emerging from its malaise, means that those consumers looking to buy a home, refinance one they already own, or grab a great deal on a new car���should enjoy the opportunity to capitalize on still-fantastic rates for the foreseeable future.

With the Fed���s most recent decision to avoid another increase in interest rates, fixed mortgage rates fell in response, putting them at just about their lowest point for the year. Right now, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate is at 3.61%, which means that the monthly payment on a $250,000 loan (excluding insurance costs and real estate taxes) would be around $1,130 per month. That���s a phenomenal monthly payment for a loan of that size (although we would encourage you to make extra principal payments whenever possible), but to secure a deal like that, or to land a great rate on anything else you want to purchase, your credit has to be top-notch.

On that note, I want to mention what I believe is a straightforward, easy-to-use, computer-based program designed to help those who are ���credit challenged��� to remedy their credit-related problems: Credit Repair Magic.

Several excellent resources make up the entire Credit Repair Magic package, but the centerpiece of the program is the ���Bad Credit Eliminator��� feature. The Bad Credit Eliminator is the highly-actionable program that walks you, step-by-step, through the entire process of cleaning up your credit. However, addressing negative items on your report is just one part of your overall credit picture. Other resources in Credit Repair Magic discuss a wide variety of other credit-relevant issues, including the importance of proper debt utilization (the amount of available credit that you���re actually using), the kinds of loans that actually reflect more favorably on your credit, and even why it is may be best, at times, to leave some negative items on your credit report.

So��� what do you receive in your Credit Repair Magic package? A bunch. What follows is just a brief overview of all that is contained in Credit Repair Magic, because to detail and explain all of the features would take up pages and pages:

The Credit Repair Magic ���Bad Credit Eliminator.��� A trademarked process for restoring your credit quickly and easily.

The Credit Repair Magic ���Seven Shortcuts to Success��� Guidebook. This material is particularly valuable when you are looking to qualify in a hurry for a home or auto loan. It presents targeted strategies to help you to improve your score even faster.

The Credit Repair Magic ���Solving the Credit Puzzle��� Reference Guide. A terrific resource���131 pages packed with a mountain of information on the subject of credit repair. This resource, by itself, is worth much of the cost of the entire Credit Repair Magic program.

The Credit Repair ���Solving the Credit Puzzle��� Reference Guide - Express Version. A condensed, easily-digested, 36-page version of the full reference guide, when you need to go back and hit the ���high points��� of the full reference guide but don���t have time at the moment to dig through the more substantial version.

Lifetime access to any and all upgrades/additions made to the comprehensive Credit Repair Magic program.

That���s not all, not by a longshot ��� there are bonuses���lots of bonuses ��� here���s just a sample of those:

The Credit Expert Audio Program. A 60-minute audio, 24-part audio presentation about the credit repair industry that is just excellent ��� again, just this one feature could justify the lion���s share of the cost of Credit Repair Magic.

How to Settle Your Past Due Debts for Pennies on the Dollar. Insider secrets from professional credit managers on how to settle debts for as little as 20 cents on the dollar.

How to Reduce Your Mortgage Payments and Postpone Payments���Without Hurting Your Credit. Just like the title says���

Credit Repair Magic contains additional bonus materials, as well, but let���s talk about some other great features. For one thing, there is the excellent support available from the program architect. For starters, you receive unlimited email support during the first 60 days of your paid access. This is particularly important, because it is typically during this period when you will have the greatest number of questions about what it is you���re doing as you work your way to better credit. What���s more, even after the first 60 days, the folks at Credit Repair Magic will continue to entertain your questions on a discretionary basis, for an unlimited period of time, as circumstances arise in your credit repair journey that you feel are in need of some extra attention.

In addition to all of this, you enjoy the rock-solid protection that comes with the product���s accompanying 60-day, money-back guarantee. Unbelievably, this means you can get right to work using the full resources of Credit Repair Magic, including the unlimited email support, and if at any time during the first two months you decide this is not for you, you can still get all of your money back.

Rehabilitating one���s credit to the healthiest level possible may be the single most important step any of us takes in the realm of consumer finance, and one that is imperative to you realizing the best available loan rates, like the phenomenal 3.61% 30-year fixed rate floating around out there right now. To learn more about the Credit Repair Magic product, or to simply purchase the program directly, Click Here.

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

It is a Never a Bad Time to Increase Your Investing IQ

Google for news using search terms like ���stock market��� or ���stock market investing,��� and, after you have reviewed the first five or six pages of results, you will likely discover about as many articles that proclaim the market looks good over the coming weeks and months���as those that moan about what a horrible place it is to be.

This is part of the inherent nature of investing. Very learned people, from both sides of the coin, will each have what sound like, to the layperson, compelling arguments as to why their position is the right one, and why, therefore, you should either be ���all in��� a place like the stock market���or should have your dough safely stashed beneath your mattress, instead. Even articles that do no more than provide basic information about the state of the economy, but that are supposed to be useful to you in making decisions about what to do with your money, can be a source of bewilderment. For someone looking to make some measure of headway with his or her own savings, it can all be very frustrating���and that���s if you already have a good handle on the subject of investing; if you do not, then the frustration can become downright irritating.

Here is an example, a brief article from Investor���s Business Daily entitled, ���Investing Action Plan For Friday: Jobs Data, Stock Rally On The Brink.���

While there is a lot of good information in the relatively short piece, what do you do with it? How do you use it on behalf of your money? And should you even bother making any very short-term adjustments to whatever holdings you do have right now?

There���s a lot to consider, and your ability to properly navigate this terrain is going to largely depend on what you have come to learn about the whole subject of investing.

Given this, I want to take a few minutes to introduce to you a terrific investment education course, available on the popular Udemy remote-learning platform, that is very highly-rated, boasts over 2,000 students enrolled, presently���and, maybe best of all, costs just $20! Called Investing Success: Learn Keys From A Millionaire Investor, the course is taught by Steve Ballinger, himself an experienced investor with an MBA as well as a background in university-level teaching, and it will surely go a long way to getting you up to speed on general investing.

The core of this comprehensive course is found in the 60-plus video lectures that total over 6 hours in length. Additionally, most of the lectures are also reproduced in an mp3 audio format, allowing you to take your lessons ���on the go��� with you as you drive to work, go for a jog, or just sit in your favorite backyard chair with your eyes closed and your legs up.

Again, this is purely an educational course in investing ��� there are no pitches to buy any securities or anything like that; this is about education. You will not receive any investment recommendations.

In this course you will learn all about:

How the current model of investing (the ���3-legged stool���) is broken and how to succeed where others are doomed to fail.

Key investing concepts that successful investors understand.

Investing in a variety of asset classes.

Investing in mutual funds and ETF.

Role of cash in your portfolio.

Investing in stocks.

Investing in bonds.

Investing in real estate.

Investing in other assets such as gold, silver, and collectibles

Understanding or risk and how to calculate your own risk profile.

Key investment mistakes to avoid that alone can make the difference between success and failure.

With this course, you will enjoy:

Over 6+ hours of video based lessons.

Lifetime access to the course so you get updates and new bonus lessons for FREE.

Quizzes that will test and confirm your knowledge.

Complete Follow-Along Guide you can print to aid in note taking and remembering what you learned.

Ability to participate in online discussions to share ideas with other students and get answers to your questions from the instructor who will answer every question.

Ability to ask questions directly of the instructor (and every one of those will also be answered).

30 day money back guarantee-love the course or return it with Udemy���s easy ���no questions asked��� policy.

The plain fact is that there is much more to this course than time and space permit for detailing here���and, again, it���s available for just 20 bucks. If you are tired of feeling confused whenever anyone begins discussing investing in any form, or if you are a currently an active investor who would like to broaden your knowledge horizon even further, then Investing Success: Learn Keys From A Millionaire Investor may be just the ticket for you. To learn more about this course, or to enroll directly, Click Here. 

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr.

 

Newt Gingrich Takes Paul Ryan to Task Over Current Speaker���s Non-Support of Trump

 A former Speaker of the House had some tough words for the current Speaker of the House over the latter���s expressed unwillingness to support the presumptive nominee of the party to which each congressman belongs.

Since Donald Trump���s victory in Indiana on Tuesday, which prompted both Ted Cruz and John Kasich to exit the race and essentially guarantee that Trump will emerge from the GOP convention in July as the party���s nominee, many high-profile Republicans have begun publicly expressing either their willingness to support the oft-controversial candidate, or their declaration that they will not support him. While many of those who have gone on record saying they will not support Trump...or will not be attending the Republican convention in Cleveland, which is regarded as tantamount to the same thing���are former Republican political leaders of great prestige, like Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, current Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has said that he, too, will not be endorsing Trump; it is a stunning declaration from a sitting speaker, and something that earned him the ire of ex-speaker Gingrich.

Appearing Thursday night on Fox News Channel���s ���Hannity��� program, Gingrich said the following about Ryan:

���[I]n the case of Paul Ryan he made a big mistake today and he needs to understand this. He is the Speaker of the House. He has an obligation to unify the party. He has an obligation to reach out. Obviously he and Donald Trump are going to have disagreements. Some of them will work out and some of them they won���t. That���s fine. Our constitution provides that speakers and presidents can fight, but I think he sends the wrong signal and a signal which I think endangers the House Republicans and endangers the Senate Republicans.���

Gingrich went on to say that ������Paul Ryan has some obligation institutionally to be responsive to the fact that the people of the party he belongs to have chosen a nominee,��� and, for many critics of the postures assumed by Ryan, the Bushes, Romney, and others, this is, perhaps, the most significant issue. The party voters have made their choice, and vast numbers of the Republican electorate have gone on record in the preceding days to say that it is the duty of the party���s leaders, particularly those who are presently in office, to make official not only their support, but their enthusiastic support, for the people���s choice.

As it stands right now, Bob Dole is the only other living former nominee of the Republican Party who will be attending the convention in Cleveland this July.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr.

 

Concealed Carry on the Increase ��� Are You As Prepared As You Should Be?

On the subject of carrying a gun, you can never know too much. However, none of us has infinite amounts of time to devote to the study of those things we should know more about, including all of the particulars associated with carrying a gun. Still, ���packing heat��� is serious business, and particularly in a climate wherein the number of concealed carry permits have skyrocketed among just about every demographic. The reasons for the increase are many���fear of terrorist attacks within our borders, violent crime rates that are rising once again, and even declarations from law enforcement officials in the face of these threats that citizens are on their own when it comes to staying safe. In many communities across the country, like Hennepin County, MN, local governments are being forced to make special accommodations to handle the increase in concealed carry applications.

Whatever the precise reason, we carry because we want to be able to protect ourselves and those around us, but there���s a lot more to properly and effectively carrying a gun than sometimes meets the eye, and more than is often taught in the actual concealed carry classes mandated by the states. To that end, I heartily suggest you go as far as you reasonably can to get the information you need so that you are as prepared as possible to safely���and usefully���carry. I���ve discovered a remote-based video training on the subject that I happen to think is excellent, and want to bring to your attention: entitled Everyday Carry, it is a six-hour course that covers A to Z of concealed carry, touching on a variety of topics that you just won���t hear about in your state-offered concealed carry course.

Your instructor throughout Everyday Carry is E.J. Owens, the founder and president of Legally Concealed, a company devoted to bringing to market a wide variety of instructional materials on the subjects of survival and self-defense. Owens��� specialty as an instructor is in the area of concealed carry and home defense scenarios. His background is impressive, and includes service as a U.S. Army infantry officer, as well as CQB (close quarters battle) instructor and hand-to-hand combat instructor with the military. Owens is the same person who authored Counter Violence, a fine book about self-defense mindset and one we have previously discussed in this space.

You should know that Everyday Carry is not for anyone who has merely a passing interest in the subject. It is a serious, involved, professional piece of instruction. The topics covered in the six-hour presentation are far too numerous to list here, but following is a sample of what you will learn:

If you should carry a round in the chamber

Why the type of belt you wear is  critical  to making your everyday carry comfortable

What to do when you go to "gun-free" zones

The right and wrong way to draw from concealment

The only two types of "game time" ammo that Owens personally uses and recommends

The knock-down power myth: 9MM, 40S&W, 45, etc.

How to safely store your gun  inside  your vehicle

How to talk to the police if you're involved in an incident

How to effectively draw your weapon while seated in your car

What kind of knives you may want to consider as part of your self-defense, everyday carry plan

You'll Also Learn...

How to  immediately  clear the  three most common pistol malfunctions  so you can get back in the fight, fast

Proper gun-fighting stance

Close quarters battle (CQB) techniques for handling an attack within 21 feet

Dominant and non-dominant,  one-hand shooting techniques

Instinctive shooting and when it's absolutely  critical  in some cases

���and lots, lots more. Again, this is six hours of instruction, from a highly-experienced and credentialed professional in the field of self-defense firearms carry. What���s more, you also enjoy a 60-day, money-back guarantee on your purchase (which I highly doubt you���ll feel the need to use). If you would like to learn more, or just pick up your copy of Everyday Carry right away, Click Here.

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr.Editor At Large

 

As the Gig Economy Grows, So Do the Tipping Expectations of Service Workers

Tipping has become increasingly at-issue in recent years. The reasons for this are varied, but seem to revolve around the factors���more than a little related���of a terrible economy and so-called income inequality. Nowadays, tip jars and the like are popping up in places where you did not see them in years past, and the expected size of tips has been growing, as well, as those working in the service industry understandably seek to put more distance between themselves and the street in what has remained a challenging economic environment.

Now, Christopher Elliott over at USA Today informs us of something called ���guilt tipping,��� where service providers essentially demand tips from customers through a variety of means. He describes guilt tipping as when ���an employee pressures you into dropping a dollar into the tip jar with a sign (���Tips welcome���) or even asks you for a gratuity.��� Elliott refers to it as ���a new kind of harassment,��� and suggests that the growing gig economy is at the root of the problem. The gig economy is itself a function of the aforementioned tough times, as many turned to it simply because they cannot find a ���regular job.���

Personally, I have not had to face guilt tipping, at least not to my knowledge; maybe I���m just naturally too abrupt to notice. However, I do not recall ever being directly solicited by a service employee to pay a gratuity ��� of course, I see tip jars lots of places, and there is always a space at the bottom of a restaurant payment slip to include a tip, but I���ve not had anyone confront me about paying one. Nevertheless, I will take Elliott���s word for it that such a thing exists.

Tipping used to be that ���little extra��� for a job well done, but we know it has not been that for some time now. Long ago, tipping became, essentially, a mandatory, additional cost for a customer in a variety of retail service forums that have expanded greatly over the years. I certainly do not object to tipping, and have generally tipped very well whenever I go out to eat or use other services wherein tipping has been a traditional component of the transaction. However, I will be keeping my eye out for this guilt tipping thing, and hoping that the situation does not get out of hand should someone actually get in my face about leaving a gratuity.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large