Times must be tough. Begging disguised as tipping.

I was recetly down in Western Virginia and staying at a Hampton Inn. Gone are the Mexican women house keepers; they have been replace by young Whites including a man !!! And there was one Chinese. The sad part was when I left some pocket change on table, like 57 cents or something, I found a note thanking me for my tip and wishing me a happy stay. I don't know if they were being sarcastic, or trying to get a better tip. The note was on official Hampton Inn guest thank you stationary.

I know you are supposed to tip the house keeper and many people don't. I also know that Hampton Inn and the hotel industry is one of the few places with the rich and middle class interact with the poor.

However, what struck me how the note just stopped short of begging for a tip. The tip jar is out every where now. Naturally, I left a tip, but the real cure is to pay people a decent minimum wage where they don't have to beg.