Ali Velshi on How "Lucky" an 84 Year Old Woman Still Waiting Tables Is
By Heather Monday Apr 06, 2009 11:10am
You Tube
As Digby pointed out yesterday on CNN's Your Money, Ari Velshi decided to let everyone know just how "lucky" an 84 year old woman was who is still waiting tables. I'll let Digby take it from here.
It's shocking that in the richest most powerful nation in the world, an 84 year old woman has to be grateful that she still has a job and a paid-for roof over her head. The CNN correspondents must have been shocked, as I was, to see this woman, bent over with osteoporosis, carrying plates and taking orders ar her age and wondered what had gone wrong in our society that such a thing could be necessary, right?
Well, not exactly:
Ali Velshi: That woman who you had in your story, the woman who'd been a waitress, I almost wonder whether people who live close to the edge, but don't carry a lot of debt are not as affected by this recession. They've sort of been living in that state for a while. There's not a lot of room they've had to fall.
Guttierez: Ali, you're absolutely right. I think that's the lesson here. You look at somebody like Mildred, she's 84 years old. She's still waiting tables, but she's doing it to supplement her social security income. The most important thing here is that she has no mortgage..
Ali: right ..
Guttierez: She doesn't have the monkey on her back that we all have and so she doesn't have to worry. She feels that she can move through this crisis because she lives simply, she was able to pay off her house, and she doesn't have the big worry so many people out there have, which is mortgage.
Velshi: We hear a lot of people talking about their grandparents who experienced the recession, or the depression and how they learned the value of a dollar. That might be the silver lining to this thing. We might have a new generation who knows how to stretch a dollar and how to stay clear of as much debt as we've gotten ourselves into.
Guttierez: Absolutely. And that's Mildred's point. You have to learn from this crisis. You have to take it to the future, you have to learn to live within your means, and make sure that you pay off that house and that you buy a house you can afford. She says that that's really the way that she's able to sleep at night.
Lucky, lucky Mildred. After all, she could be out of a job and then where would she be? I guess if we all play our cards right we too can be waiting tables when we're 84. As long as we live prudently, of course, and make sure we don't have any housing expenses at that age. Otherwise, it could get dicey --- and we'd only have ourselves to blame.
Meanwhile, we learned that the most fortunate people in this recession are those who had nothing to begin with because they didn't have so far to fall. (The real victims of the recession are Thelma and Ali who have jobs and the "monkey on the back" of mortgage payments.) These people at the low end of the economic scale like Mildred are used to being "close to the edge" and are actually much better off than everyone else because being poor is acceptable for them. They can sleep at night. Lucky duckies all.
Ali Velshi, by the way, was wearing what appeared to be at least a five thousand dollar suit as he piously lectured America about learning the value of a dollar.
Full transcript below the fold.
VELSHI: Welcome back to YOUR MONEY. I'm Ali Velshi, and I'm here in Los Angeles, California. From the housing market to job loss, to the fight for a state budget, California has been a case study for America's struggling economy.
CNN's Thelma Gutierrez spoke to Californians who are trying to explain the problem and some who are affected by it every day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): California, the eighth largest economy in the world, cracking under pressure, with unemployment steadily climbing, the housing market in decline and a state budget that falls billions of dollars short of what it needs to stay afloat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now it's coming down to fear.
GUTIERREZ: Fear for people like Mildred Copeland (ph), who is 84 and still waiting tables after 34 years.
PROF. MICHAEL SHIRES, PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY: Unlike the recession in the early '90s, which was driven by the collapse of aerospace in California, employees in all sectors of the economy feel like they're at risk for their jobs.
GUTIERREZ: Already tens of thousands have lost their jobs this year. In February, unemployment in California reached 10.5 percent and going up.
SHIRES: Most of the projections get us up to somewhere around 12 percent between now and this time next year.
GUTIERREZ: That translates to a loss of nearly one million jobs in the Golden State, according to several economic forecasts.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you like hash browns or home fries?
GUTIERREZ: Bad news for Mildred. She's eager to hold on to her job.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You get to a time in your life when you can say I can sit back, relax a little bit and not have to worry. But it's not like that.
GUTIERREZ: Especially for California homeowners. The state has the third highest foreclosure rate in the nation, with one in every 165 homes in foreclosure. But that's not something Mildred has to worry about. Her home is paid for.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thank god every day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For what?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For a job, for my home that's paid for, and I don't have to worry. That's one thing I don't have to worry about.
GUTIERREZ: A good thing in a state that's in a constant state of crisis. It took a record three months for legislators to pass a budget. The stalemate brought California to the brink of financial collapse. Mildred says she doesn't like the way it's being run.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: California used to be a great place to live.
GUTIERREZ: Mildred says she's optimistic the state will make a comeback. Economic forecasts predict it will, but not before 2012.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUTIERREZ: Experts say, the main thing driving California's economic crisis is the way our tax structure is based. Half of our general fund revenues come from personal tax income. So when people at the top tier start to hurt because of the stock market crash or the collapse in values of high-end real estate, the state fund revenues suffer as well -- Ali?
VELSHI: That woman who you had in your story, the woman who had been a waitress; I almost wonder whether people who live close to the edge, but don't carry a lot of debt are not as affected by this recession. They've sort of been living in that state for a while. There's not a room where they've had to fall.
GUTIERREZ: Ali, you're absolutely right. Maybe that's the lesson here. You look at someone like Mildred, she's 84-years-old. She's still waiting tables, but she's doing it to supplement her Social Security income. The most important thing here is that she has no mortgage. She doesn't have the monkey on her back that we all have.
VELSHI: Right.
GUTIERREZ: So she doesn't have to worry. She feels like she'll be able to move through this crisis because she lives simply. She was able to pay off her house. And she doesn't have the big worries that so many people out there have, which is mortgage.
VELSHI: We hear a lot of people telling us about their grandparents, who experienced the recession or the Depression, and how they learned the value of a dollar. That might be the silver lining to this thing, that we're going to have a new generation of people that understand how to stretch their money, and how to stay clear of as much debt as we've gotten ourselves into.
GUTIERREZ: Absolutely. I think that's Mildred's point. She says you have to learn from this crisis. You have to take it into the future and learn to live within your means and make sure that you pay off that house, so that you buy a house you can afford. She says that's really the way that she's able to sleep at night.
VELSHI: Thelma, you have a great way of taking these very complicated stories and finding people who can tell them for our audience. Thank you for that, Thelma Gutierrez.
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the basest instincts of the poor. It "improves" them, morally. Makes them self-sufficient, and tough. Poverty is a most admirable state, if you're wealthy.
about a rich person getting to heaven,Harder than a camel going through the eye of a needle
So any reward I got coming, I'd just as soon have it now, thanks...
I can't believe according to the Jesus Freaks that with all the carnage and destruction to other countries as well as our own that boosh has wrought he's going to heaven
Whilst I'm going to hell for having erotic thoughts (and of course being a Witch.)
back in the 80s the call was for anyone with a desire to get ahead, was to use leverage, to botrrow other people's money to reach your goals.
that's the essence of predatory capitalism, which is what produced the current stat of affairs, if I am not mistaken?
Just wondering.
Here's a funny story by Woody Allen about two guys who were stiffed by Madoff:
http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2009/03/30/090...
You ain't seen nothin yet
by any chance related to Suze Orman? She too looks down from her ivory tower and tells misfortunate poor how lucky they are to have that whole $25 increase in unemployment insurance funds. Then she does her ShamWow imitation, pointing out how a family who barely exists, can afford a 200,000 dollar mortgage as long as they make their minimum credit card payments.
Have you ever really listened to Orman? I have for a long time and I have never heard her say anything near what you state in your comment. She's all about getting out and staying out of debt. She's also all about personal savings too.
...to keep their money in the stock market.
She is kinda like CNN's counterpart to Kramer...alotta people trusted her.
I cant stand her.
her "advice" is a lot different than it was a year ago.
it's "Advice!" You're supposed to use your own brain to weigh her advice with your goals and circumstances, and whatever other information you can glean BEFORE making any investments.
Suze or anyone else on TV or radio or print doesn't Make anyone Do anything ----they offer advice! It's your money - your decision.
I can't even imagine Suze telling someone to take out a mortgage if they had credit card debt. Also, she might be rich now, but she grew up as a working class girl. Would you want to take financial advice from anyone who WASN'T rich???? I'm not going to sit here and defend everything she says b/c I don't know what she's said in recent months about the stock market, it's just that it's clear from your post that you haven't watched her show or read her books.
And CNN wonders why they've lost most of their audience and credibility as a NEWS organization????
This is as bad as Bush admiring the woman who had to work 3 jobs to make a living!
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I don't know if that falls in the same category. Too bad CNN didn't flesh out Mildred's story out a little bit more. Mildred is waiting tables some twenty years after most people retire. How long has she been working for this particular employer? Does she really need to work to survive? Or is this something she enjoys doing as a means to keep her active in her later years. Some people just aren't built for retirement, y'know.
some people do just like to 'keep busy' as the saying goes. But I think Mildred said that she never expected to be working at 84 - thought she be sitting back resting, or something to that effect.
Doesn't appear to me that Mildred is 'built' for the grueling work of being a waitress - she's frail, has osteoporosis/kyphosis, and deserves to enjoy the fruits of her earlier labors. And, she would, except for the greedy creeps on Wall Street and in DC !
Frankly most of the boobs* on CNN are fortunate to have jobs too.
*("Boobs" referring to nitwits, not mammary glands.)
I wonder wonder what kind of tips she makes?
(And I DID say tips.)
If I were her I would keep my tips a secret.
...(to make sure the IRS gets as little as possible)
Before Reagan took office,tips were yours. Reagan saw this as untapped revenue, and waiters and waitresses had to start claiming a set amount as part of their earnings, whether they made that amount or not (after everything is said and done, they still rely on the generosity of the customer. Some restarants now add the 15 to 20 percent to the bottom of the check. Most custumers hate this, but if you don't tip, the waitress ends up paying the difference. (Why I stopped waiting tables back in the '80s.)
How about the recent Time magazine story that the recession is a good thing because it is giving us a more 'realistic' economy? Pretty damn real when you lose your job and your home and are living in a tent.
Sometimes I just want to burst into the tv studio and scream, "Do you rich twits ever converse with(not interview or give orders to) anyone who makes less that $500,00/year?" Not to mention the pitchfork scenario.
Thank you. I was thinking the same thing.
Compared to others her age who cannot work, have no savings, have no retirement account, and have to subsist entirely on social security.
I'd like to live in a country where things are better. However, it is still more fortunate to be poor and have your health and working ability than to be poor and disabled.
is going to have on a new reality show where poor contestants fight for HGTV to pay off their mortgages. I kid you not.
HGTV just lost a regular viewer.
They need to quit fucking exploiting the poor, and do something constructive, like do programs on "victory gardens" to help beat this Bush depression, do stories and raise awareness on community and urban gardening/farming. And when they do cooking related shows, they need to do more budget meals.
But fuck them!
as a lifelong construction worker, whenever my wife watched their Flip This House crap that was supposed to be informative. Shoddy crapwork, done in record breaking time to make a buck. Sad.
Mostly I watched their reruns of the DIY Network's craft shows, and HGTV's gardening shows... But as the craft shows are already on the DIY Network, and I can find info on gardening elsewhere, HGTV can kiss my butt goodbye.
I agree with Annaleigh, this is exploiting the poor in one of the worst ways. I can't stand reality shows.
It's not like the banksters are giving any of us the least bit of humanity.
Banksters looking for sympathy?
Suck on this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/timtimes/3129533...
Enjoy.
There was a line from Monty Burns on the Simpsons I heard yesterday which makes me think these media commentators really have adopted this mentality of a 'we're better than you', elitist, patronizing belief system.
"I actually feel affection for these knuckle dragging sub-monkeys."
These commentators seem to have that attitude.
What I'd like to know is how these two would feel if this was their great grandmother waiting tables at 84. That if anything, shows how out of touch the media really is.
I think this story might be taken out of context. At this point, whether we belive all Americans should be in a better position then we are, we have to acknowledge what the current problem is. The current problem is that social security is not enough for individuals to take care of their expenses. So she is in fact quite lucky to have a job at this point considering there are over 6 million unemployed competing for her job.
He may be in $5K suit, but he can afford it, so who cares in the end. It's his choice to make. We can say what he should do with his money, but what are we doing with ours. I like to look in the mirror first. Are you spending $5 at Starbucks instead of feeding the hungry? The dollar amount may be different, but in the end, the lack of action is the same.
I belive Ali misses the mark in stating that the most important thing is that she doesn't have a mortgage. In her individual case, that is a huge contributer to her not going under and seeking leverage to pay the bills. But the most important thing to me that needs to be recognized is that our elderly need supplementation.
The big lesson in this story is that she lived within her means, and recognized that she has to do more in order to continue once she received social security. How many of us are living simply enough to withstand the crisis? I don't like the predatory lending that happened, but buyers did have the ability to determine if the can afford what they are getting into. I don't feel sorry for those that didn't exercise diligence. I'm somewhat guilty. My wife lost her job, now I am evaluating how to keep the mortgage current as our savings is depleting.
about the actual cause of this financial 'crisis.' While the many foreclosures that happened in a short time span were what brought the problems to light, it was basically bank fraud that set us up - and continues to ravage....
I wasn't even trying to highlight the crisis beyond how individuals could have helped themselves. Obviously there is alot of fraud, and my disclaimer in my original post was "I don't like the predatory lending that happened..." Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying.
Velshi said: "That might be the silver lining to this thing, that we're going to have a new generation of people that understand how to stretch their money, and how to stay clear of as much debt as we've gotten ourselves into."
A new generation? Mildred Copeland is 84; she lived through the REAL Great Depression. She shouldn't have to be doing anything more than fixing a pot of coffee or doing a little gardening. These newscasters remind me of Barbara Bush when she commented about the Katrina victims who were sheltered in the stadium. They are really almost psychotically disconnected from the real world.
In fact, I dont even see anything Ali says that implies even such an idea.
Is anyone even bothering to read and check the source article for accuracy anymore (both contributors and those posting comments)? I really don't get how this angle is pulled out at all.
I'd like to say you're twisting her words, but there aren't even any words that could be twisted to come up with this angle.
I just really don't see it at all. All I see is Velshi saying something that I've heard Howard Zinn say before, that a recession or a depression is just the misery of the poor extended to everyone, that the poor and unfortunate live in a constant state of depression or recession.
And you beat me to it. I see the overall point of the post, and, for the most part, I agree with the premise. This woman should be enjoying her retirement. However, you shouldn't use quotes around the word lucky when it wasn't used.
Americans' attitudes toward the elderly, disabled, or sick working are sometimes shocking. The talk of this elderly woman being "lucky" to have a job waiting tables reminded me of a supposedly favorable review of Michael Moore's film "Sicko" from a couple of years ago.
The youthful reviewer gushed about how proud she was to see a post-retirement-age man with physical problems forced because of medical bills to return to work as a grocery stocker at minimum wage. The reviewer said something like "it makes me proud to be an American when I watch that man doing his job without complaining, happily going to work every day to work hard to earn his keep."
With those kinds of attitudes, Americans will never get the universal healthcare that even a lot of poor countries have.
And those wonderful wrong wing attitudes are brought to you daily by the corporate state media broadcasting system. Nice country huh? Ali Velshi is a corporate tool not much else.
Sorry, responded to the wrong post.
This woman is extremely lucky to have this job. Imagine the number of restaurant owners/managers that wouldn't give her the time of day due to her age.
I'm betting she works for as little as a high schooler would make. That makes her desirable.
about down your way, but up my way, whenever the economy gets bad, older adult workers replace student workers in most restaurants and in a lot of fast food places. McD's on King Street in Kitchener Ontario, has got to have the oldest daystaff average age of any business for miles. They mostly look just like this woman. Now, "would you like fries with that?"
i am 36, i sure hope that on down the road i have the 'luck' and 'blessings' to be in my 80s waiting tables, instead of, oh i don't know, being retired.
and, not to be greedy, i hope--like ali velshi points out--that i can spend the rest of my life on 'the edge'. always on the verge of complete destitution. that way, after decades of living recession-like, when the nation really enters a recession/depression (like now)it will be old hat to me. ahhhh, dare i dream, dare i dream....
/snark off
who doesn't thing Social Security won't be there when he is ready to retire. I told him that all they have to do to fix Social Security Is "REMOVE THE CAP."
...I would be skeptical...to say the least.
I'd be getting involved in politics, demanding that Social Security AND the entire social safety net be strengthened.
And, they'd best do it soon.
This will be true if the re-Thuglics have their way.
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by the right wing media and similar teachings in school. All the kids say that now. They have been indoctrinated to believe that SSI is a socialistic ponzi scheme. This country is in more trouble than we could possibly know.
My Dad (1915-1986) said he didn't really notice the Depression. His dad was a dirt-poor tenant farmer in Southern Illinois. They'd had next to nothing before the Depression, so nothing really changed. He did add that they always had food (lots of corn and potatos) and often had "guests" at dinner - people who wandered onto the farm and offered to work for a meal. His dad always found something for them to do and shared dinner with them.
-------
On the other hand .. regarding the CNN bit ..
What do you expect from Corporate Media Droids .. empathy?
I have every expectation that hard physical work and lack of any health care will ensure I never reach 84. Thanks Corporate Nazi Network for caring!
Some people's house taxes are more than a mortgage payment, so Mildred may not be on the financial easy street that's being propounded here. It depends on the assessed value of her house. Aren't California's property taxes pretty high?
i think shes hot! older women need love too! and moneys over rated youll soon understand that when your dineing at the salvation navy!
Isn't Alan Greenspan just about the same age? Lets put him to work waiting tables, he's the one responsible for this mess.
according to CNN if I'm retired and working TWO jobs, I'm even luckier and will attain an even higher state of grace.
Woohooo!
Does she have to wear fishnet stockings and a push-up bra
Or those cheek shorts like at Hooters?
It's really amazing how disconnected MSM is. Is it arrogance or denial? I think both. People like Veshi, whose smugness and feigned superiority are probably much more on "the edge" than they let on because this is something they've never been through before. But their denial is so strong, and their refusal to believe anything other than cheery propaganda and "I-got-mine/you-get-yours" is a crushing slice of reality that just can't be imagined. I suspect we'll be seeing a lot of $5,000 suits on E-Bay pretty soon. Oh, the reality.
When is somebody doing to FIRE this stupid Chick Pea in a pin-striped suit? That's right, the poor were LUCKY because they were so poor that they could never own a home or work for a company that offered them a 401K, so they had nothing to lose. Let's all piss on the poor, and tell them it's just Trickle-Down Economics.
The Reich-wing noise machine at work. The corporate owned and run media channels Marie Antoinette at the behest of their unholy host - the re-Thuglic party.
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by taxing the rest of us to hell
oh, and gas prices are rising again
and la decided to eff up a bunch of people by making them register home biz, no matter how much you make
if you forgot, you just got a 4k tax bill...based on the fact that you are earning 200k
what a great place to live
Wouldn't she be luckier if she were a CEO at age 84 and raking in the money?
How lucky for those two CNN "reporters" to be able to go through this economic crisis without being burdened with a brain.
It must be real strange for Villagers like Ali to learn that some people work because they actually like to versus being cooped up at home or in a retirement community. For Mildred, working was a voluntary choice, not a requirement. My father in law does the same thing at 80 being a bailiff at our local courthouse. Why? Because he thinks its a fun thing to do.
People like Ali need to humble themselves and connect with the wisdom of ordinary people more often instead of reveling in their 5K Armanis, their bloated salaries and grossly overstated importance to our society.
Remember Ali---the meek shall inherit the earth.
Just what the new generation needs. Competing with millions of 80 year old baby boomers for jobs because they think its "fun" to work. Retirement age of 65 is set up so that they will leave the work rolls so unemployment doesn't get out of hand. Good grief.
I think you miss the point here. Learning to contribute something redemptive to society by doing worthwhile work as long as you are able is a valuable lesson. This isn't a generational competition, it is a lesson in positive result by leading by example.
I recognize the value of setting examples and living by your principles. I just think that after a certain age, if you don't need the money, please leave a paying job to a person who has a family to feed. There is volunteering maybe or something? Isn't that why 65 years old is/was the age of retirement? Because there aren't enough jobs to go around?
The Baby Boom went from 1948 to 1964, when the first Generation Xers were born.
If she's 84 she was born approximately 1925.
Different generation.
your point is well taken but offer a slight, tiny age tweak for consideration.
1946-64
Although some disagreement - these are the post wwII baby boom dates given by the census bureau and others. There's a sub generation called "jones" and echo booms etc. popular media culture coins the x and y gens based on cohort interests, etc etc
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/...
http://www.census.gov/PressRelease/www/releas...
http://geography.about.com/od/populationgeogr...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_boomer
They've also created "baby-busters" those born between 1960-1964.
However, in general the configuration I give is the one most universally accepted by the orthodox, if I may wax all theological.
Mon, 04/06/2009 - 14:53 — bmw 528
Remember Ali---the meek shall inherit the earth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiDmMBIyfsU
Thanks---haven't seen that for years.
for the hip replacement somehow.
I'll make sure to save this video to show my son when he is at a voting age. Then I'll have him make the choice: Vote for a republican and work till death (unless they manage to ship all the jobs to China) or choose a progressive and have some dignity in life, job security, make sure education and health care are still priorities and that retirement is not something in the history books.
health care, we're likely not to see "middle class" workers live to eighty or be healthy past middle age.
Actually, Mildred is lucky she is healthy enough to wait tables. I am 54 years old and I don't think I could do it for more than a few hours a week and I sure couldn't carry heavy plates!
This entire CNN blurb is idiotic. 84 year olds for the most part aren't the ones worrying about their mortgages or whether or not they have jobs. Most of them are worried about the cost of health care!
Once again I say - this is why I've given up TV news.
I don't watch CNN any more , those Ivy league silver spooned "elite" jack asses are so out of touch with the majority , the life of the average American that it's pathetic , the vast majority of Americans do not even exist in their world . Maybe what's needed is a full blown depression and total collapse of the dollar , a restoration of balance and values and reality and a leveling of the field , that would do it .
Most waitstaff make $2.13/hour. The government justifies that by saying that they will make up the difference in tips to add up to minimum wage.
The essence of how "lucky" the poor are has been explained by Reuben Bolling in his "Tom the Dancing Bug" cartoons featuring Lucky Ducky.
Here's a good one on this issue, from Salon.
http://dir.salon.com/story/comics/boll/2002/1...
Enjoy.
Velshi said "I almost wonder whether people who live close to the edge, but don't carry a lot of debt are not as affected by this recession. They've sort of been living in that state for a while. There's not a lot of room they've had to fall."
Let me get this straight: people who are living close to the bottom economically are supposed to be happy that they don't have a lot to lose in a recession? Is he freakin' serious??? I'm really sure all the world's poor are just clapping their hands in jubilation at discovering that because they don't have much money to lose, they're therefore better off than rich people.
Talk about situational tone-deafness...
My friend went to Univeristy with Ali Velshi up in Canada. That guy knows nothing about economics. He did not even study it in school, nor had he ever had a real job that would give him some expertise on the economy and financial markets.
I always thought it was a joke that CNN would pick a guy who knows nothing about the economy as their chief economics/business correspondent, particularly in these times that involve very complicated economic issues. I listen to Velshi stories sometimes and they are so thin, varsity and superficial. What a joke? Why doesn't CNN hire a real business reporter?
i'm not really adding anything new to the conversation except to mention how much that video sounds like "weekend news update" from snl.what invincible cluelessness.what fatuous,patronizing,condescending "analysis" concerning a woman old enough to have gotten her food handler's permit the same day as betty crocker.i have eaten steaks which probably had more empathy than those "reporters". next week perhaps we'll get their take on the textile workers in asia whose aggregate demand is suppressed so those dumb ass reporters can pay their mortgages,and maintain whats left of THEIR far flung financial empires.maybe we'll get a report on those fortunate migrant workers.seriously,at some point we need to stop the psychologizing of problems which stem from societal priorities and government policies.the lady began waiting tables at the age of fifty something when the current round of tax cuts and deregulation began,leading to the use of credit to augment stagnant or declining wages-somone above mentioned that about that time the feds began to get much more strict on tip reporting-no accident-finally,studs turkel would have found out why a 50 something would enter the brutal field of table waiting,instead of imposing a self-serving morality play in place of HER story.those "reporters " are not ready for prime time. they also might ponder for whom the bell is tolling.anyway,if the social security trust fund wasn't raided to pay for tax cuts for the richest amongst us,that lady might be getting a social security check which did not require her to do back breaking work into the 9th decade of her life.lady luck is laughing her ass off,huh?
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