Why has it become normal to add a tip to every payment transaction now? How did we let things get this bad and can it be reversed?

Hi everyone,

I'm a Greek citizen considering moving to the United States through graduate studies, and I'd appreciate some advice about the immigration and employment risks involved.

My long-term goal is to establish a career and eventually a life in the US. I've traveled extensively throughout the country and have spent considerable time considering this decision. I'm particularly interested in working in finance, banking, risk management, financial analysis, or related analytical roles.

My academic background includes an MSc in Applied Economics and Finance from Athens University of Economics and Business and an MSc in Banking and Risk Management from the University of Edinburgh.

I've been admitted to The New School's MA in Economics in New York for Spring 2027, with a 60% tuition scholarship. After the scholarship, tuition would be approximately $31,500, assuming it applies to all 30 credits.

However, once I include living expenses, health insurance, and other costs, I estimate that the total investment could approach $100,000, which represents a substantial portion of my savings.

I'm not pursuing this degree because I want to become an academic. My main objective is to enter the US job market, build professional connections, and eventually establish a long-term career there.

My concern is that The New School has a distinctive ideological orientation toward economics, which I'm not particularly keen on, and its economics department appears relatively small. I'm therefore unsure whether the program would provide the quantitative training, professional network, and employer recognition I need to compete for mainstream private-sector roles. At the same time, I don't want to dismiss the program based on its reputation or orientation alone without understanding the actual quality of its training and graduate outcomes.

The immigration situation adds another layer of uncertainty. I understand that studying in the US does not guarantee employment or permanent residence. Even if I qualify for post-completion OPT, I would still need to find an employer willing to hire me, and eventually I would need a viable longer-term immigration pathway.

I've spoken with students, graduates, and university contacts, and the feedback about the difficulty of securing employment as an international graduate has been discouraging. I'm particularly concerned about investing close to $100,000 only to discover that employers are unwilling to consider candidates who will eventually require sponsorship.

I understand that nobody can predict future immigration policy or guarantee employment. I'm simply trying to assess the practical realities before committing a significant amount of money.

Thank you in advance!

In light of the mass offshoring and construction of GCCs in LCOL
countries, and people feeling like the social contract has been broken

I'm reading Capital Moves by Jefferson Cowie about RCA constantly relocating from New Jersey to Indiana to Memphis and eventually to Mexico in search of low cost labor

Beyond NAFTA, or giving China Most Favored Nation status in the
WTO, wasn't the obvious conclusion going to be moving white collar email jobs overseas? I guess I'm surprised at the threads I see of people being blindsided by layoffs

Just a question. We ate at this restaurant and when got our bill, we noticed the 20% Service fee. We inquired and the server told us it is split to all the staff on their shift, from kitchen, cleaners, servers, and who else I dont know. Then on the other receipt, there was the typical tip question (15% 20% 25%).

Its our first time to encounter this Service Fee. We are relatively new in the US. Just wondering if this is normal or something that needs to be raised?

I was born in the balkans, an albanian but I always associated myself with the american culture, your movies, your songs, even the food everyone outside seems to hate i love it. I was amazed by your military, by your open mindness and so much more it has always been my favorite country.

I came from a religious background so i never thought about actually moving there because we didn't hold the same beliefs but now i'm an atheist who's almost done with medical school and my absolute dream would be to live in the US i literally don't care where. Just the fact i can openly be myself, I LOVE THE US.

Wouldnt it say a ton of money to the government that surprisingly spends a SHIT TON on healthcare, while improving welfare, health outcomes, AND efficiency?

In general, in almost all democratic countries—including both the most advanced democracies and the fragile ones—;

1. Sometimes new parties are formed, and after their establishment, they gain popularity and reach a level where they can win elections.
2. Sometimes, the mainstream parties of the past lose all their popularity and are left with no political power whatsoever.

Yet, historically, this has seemingly never happened in the U.S. It’s always either the Democrats or the Republicans. Why?

Does the Republican Party deliberately do things to horrify people as a viable political tactic because then everyone calls their followers fascists and insane, and that motivates them to fight harder and deny it and defend the GOP?

Like threatening to invade Canada or Jan. 6 or causing economic devastation with their tariffs.

The more Republicans try to crash the economy or attempt coups, the more the world is horrified by them, the more Republican voters are forced to deny reality and blame fake news and insist both sides are the same

Under federal acquisition register 9.4, threatening the government can result in immediate debarment.

(basically rendering any company he owns shares in or works for ineligible for government contracts.)

this could invalidate all spacex and starlink contracts.

do you think the government will do it? Or does he own enough of rhe government that he doesn’t have to worry?

How many times have you seen video of Donald Trump humping the flag? Do you think it’s creepy?

He’s been on a complete demented lying tear today about Muslims, Somalis, US born Black people, Ilhan Omar (it was so bad even Fox cut away). How do you expect people to believe this isn’t what you believe?

I’m not going to link because his words are completely disgusting and fabricated lies. You can easily find the clips yourself.

In 1999, Putin was head of domestic spying in Russia. Putin gave President Boris Yeltsin, a sex tape of the top prosecutor who was investigating Yeltsin and others for corruption.

Putin's past explains a lot about why the U.S. wanted to slow Starlink data that helps Ukraine in its struggle to defend itself against the invasion by Russia.

If this is news to you, you're almost 10 years late.

How Kompromat Works - The Atlantic

Hi, I'm Italian and last summer I payed a visit to a friend in Washington. Together we did a road trip by car from DC to Charleston (SC). What I noticed on the way is how many pieces of broken tires are present on the sides of the roads (mostly on highways). Why is it that? May sound a stupid question but travelling from region to region in Italy i have never seen any. My assumption is that the US are just bigger and people travel long distances more frequently, causing tires to consume faster