The Dow hit a record this week.
The “sequester” spending cuts weren’t avoided.
More business news
Safety nets ‘will bankrupt’ U.S., Chamber of Commerce warns
The business lobby is again pushing to trim federal spending on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
See the document
Google requests permission to publish information about FISA orders it has received.
Sen. Grassley: IRS to pay $70M in employee bonuses despite order to cut benefits
The Obama administration made a directive in April to cancel discretionary bonuses because of automatic spending cuts.
But it’s the little things that can really get people talking money and seeing red.
For example, take the restaurant that wanted to charge a woman $5 to use its restroom.
I’ve been in cities, typically in heavily trafficked tourist districts or off busy highway locations, where restaurants have a policy that you can’t use their bathrooms if you aren’t a customer. But is it going too far when a restaurant’s policy is that non-customers have to pay if they want to relieve themselves?
That’s what one restaurant in Tennessee tried to do, reports Laura T. Coffey for Today.
In an interview with the “Today” show, Patricia Barnes said that she used the restroom at the Flood Gate, a small roadside restaurant in Erin, Tenn., after getting permission from one of the employees. But, days later she received a handwritten note from the management of the restaurant indicating that she owed the establishment $5 for her restroom break.
“I just thought it was unbelievable,” Barnes told “Today.”“I’m like, what type of people are these?”
The restaurant was able to track Barnes down by writing down her vehicle license plate. Managers gave the information to the sheriff’s office,which then traced its owner. After being contacted, Barnes tried to pay the $5. I would have done the same after being tracked down by the cops. I don’t play with the police.
But the restaurant owners apparently changed their minds about the bill, telling the “Today” show (off camera) that they only wanted to make a point that their facilities are for customers only. Point taken. Potty elsewhere.
Charging people to use their bathrooms is “totally ridiculous” said celebrity chef and restaurant owner Bobby Flay, who was asked about the situation following the “Today” show segment. It’s just part of doing business, he said.
“Today” took a poll on the practice. The results weren’t surprising. Overwhelmingly, people thought non-patrons should be allowed to use restaurant bathrooms for free.
Here’s a slightly different take on the question. This week’s Color of Money Question: Have establishments gone too far in crazy charges for customers? Send your responses to colorofmoney@washpost.com. Be sure to put “Paying to Pee” in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name, city and state.
Celebrity Cash
I keep passing along these stories because it’s still unbelievable to me that people who make so much money still mess up their finances. Their financial woes serve as a lesson for us all.
So here we go.
TMZ.com reports that “Mummy” actor Brendan Fraser is asking that his $50,000 monthly alimony payments be lowered because he just has too many other expenses.
Fraser makes about $206,000 per month, but he comes up short of about $87,000 when all his expenses are included, according to documents reviewed by TMZ.com.
Making light of a situation bypointing out that Fraser earns more in a month than what most Americans earn in a few years, Richard Lawson of The Atlantic Wire says, “If something doesn’t give, “he'll have to do The Mummy 4: There's a Mummy in My Soup! and I'm not sure anyone wants that. I mean, I want that, but probably nobody else.”
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