Not in California. Employers cannot supplement an actual wage with tips here. California law also prohibits employers from taking tips, divvying up, or forcing tip aggregation pools (although this is still very prevalent). I despise the mindset that tips are _expected_. Tips are supposed to be an acknowledgement of service above and beyond base expectations. Expecting tips, and treating them as a wage substitute, is just bottom of the barrel level sleaze.

Somebody please mod the parent up. I think this is the strongest reason by far. As long as you're ambulatory, why would you waste a vacation day? Yes, it's selfish with regards to coworkers, but the real blame lies in corporate policy that lumps vacation and sick days into one homogenous grouping.

Please refer to the comment above where it is pointed out that H1-B's are specifically for technical positions, and the domestic labor force for this market segment is 2.5 million, NOT 150 million. In that context, 700k workers is %28 of the workforce. I would say that makes a very large difference.

I have worked with many H1-B's, and found that they are neither more or less competent than our American colleagues, on average. The problem is that they are an exploited resource (no real market negotiation, depress true market wages, easily threatened with deportation). I hold no grudge against any of them. My ire is directed entirely at the corporations who abuse the system to the detriment of all.

I'm all for eliminating H1-B's, and allowing open work visas for any qualified candidate. With appropriate safeguards in place to prevent artificial wage deflation, it would attract valuable foreign talent without depressing domestic wages.

Their "poor, unhealthy life choice" puts them at risk for communicable diseases. If you then contract these diseases, you endanger others around you who are at risk, such as infants (pre vaccination age), the sick (weakened immune response), or the elderly (decreased antibody effectiveness).

Other lifestyle choices that affect health (smoking, overeating, not enough exercise) have non communicable repercussions. Obviously second hand smoke is another issue, but the direct diseases smoking causes are not contagious.

Why shouldn't a doctor be able to fire someone who doesn't listen? The doctor has the background and training to make him a domain expert. If the patient thinks he knows better than the trained professional, why is he even bothering going to the doctor in the first place? Or, if it's simply one point he disagrees with (albeit, an arguably big point), then the patient really should find a doctor who's practice aligns more with himself. Of course, for this particular discussion that leaves few options. I sure as hell wouldn't trust any doctor who advocated against vaccines, but to each his own.

Leprosy is caused by a bacterial infection, and is easily cured with common antibiotics.

Seriously. This crap is just a complete waste of bandwidth. Do we really need an entire day full of this inanity? How about 1 or 2 postings, and call it a day.

"Creationists" and belief in evolution are mutually exclusive:

While there are many scientists who find no conflict between their spiritual beliefs and the scientific method, creationists directly reject the scientific method.

Creationism and belief in an initial creation are not the same thing. Belief in creationism, by definition, requires rejection of well established scientific principles of geology, astronomy, evolution, and various other fields of research.

While I am an athiest, I respect other peoples beliefs in spiritual ideas that are beyond the bounds of current science. However, I reject any call for acceptance of beliefs of those who reject well established knowledge based on nothing more than self contradictory texts written by superstitious iron age villagers.

Based on the books by Steig Larsen (http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Dragon-Tattoo-Millennium-Trilogy/dp/0307473473/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1298415990&sr=8-4/).

• Girl with the Dragon Tatoo
• The girl who played with fire
• The girl who kicked the hornets nest

It's actually a rather good set of movies (haven't finished the third one yet), though it does have some disturbing content. It's in Swedish, with English subtitles. All three are currently available on Netflix streaming.

I heard that they're planning an Americanized Hollywood adaptation. I can only expect it to end up as awful and vile as "Point of No Return" was compared to "La Femme Nikita".

Can anyone recommend a place like this in the SF South Bay area?