October 10, 2025
Michael and I are consumers. In our daily interactions, I find some of those interactions worthy of comment.
For example, we decided to go to Atlanta for a couple of nights, enjoy dining and shopping and so forth (Up here, I get tired of counting the squirrels racing up and down the trees outside my office).
Here is the bill for the first night at the Hyatt Centric Buckhead. We picked it for its proximity to Lenox Square, mostly, also the reasonable price of $188/night.
So, I’ll take responsibility for the $50 up-charge (we upgraded to a junior suite). But the rest? How did $233 ($188+50) balloon by 60%?
Valet parking, which consisted of them putting the car in the guest parking lot next to the hotel (bad on me, I should have just parked it myself). And no, we don’t have a Black Yugo. How they mistook that for our red Range Rover is a perplexity.
Destination fee of $25, plus sales and occupancy tax on the destination fee.
I would have loved to be in that Hyatt meeting:
CEO: “Let’s just whack ‘em $25 and call it, uhhh, an Occupancy Fee.”
Finance Lady: “Can’t. Confuses with the Occupancy Tax.”
Striving Young Bright Faced Up and Comer: “Call it a Destination Fee!”
CEO: But the hotel is automatically a destination.”
SYBFUaC: “Right! So’s the fee! Automatic!”
CEO: “I love it! What’s your name again?”
I added together the taxes (because I have a large calculator): $45.89.
Three Arches = Coffee.
I would like to point out that after savaging innocent tourists who arrive upon its shores, the City of Atlanta had a $20 million budget deficit to close. Thus, the next bill will include:
“$100 Because We Need the Money and For No Other Reason Tax”
I imagine:
The Mayor: We can’t say that! That’s terrible!
Striving Young Bright Faced Up and Comer: We’ll call it an Equity Tax.”
Mayor: I have no idea what that means.
SYBFUaC: Exactly! No one does. So no one will complain!”
Mayor: I love it! And where did you come from again?
SYBFUaC: Hyatt. Consumer Assistance Department
Cryptocurrencies. First, let me state that I don’t own any and most probably never will. I’m old school, gold and silver are the tickets for me in that space. But I learned a long time ago I don’t have to buy anything I don’t want to, so I don’t regret not owning some. And honestly, other than “its going up” I can’t think of a reason to own it. For many I guess that’s reason enough.
As a result:
The world is flooded with eager providers of cryptocurrency given that you can use a computer and “mine” for cryptocurrency and create your own.
I’m sorry, I don’t think that eventually ends well for most people. But I thought, maybe I should measure some sincerity?
The Trump family has been hip and cheek into cryptocurrency as both fans and purveyors. World Liberty Financial, Trump Meme Coin, American Bitcoin, Melania Meme Coin.
So, I thought, will they accept cryptocurrency? I mean, it has the word “currency” embedded into it. So, we called to find out.
As near as we can tell, if you want to stay at a Trump property, they will not accept Bitcoin, Trump Meme Coin, American Bitcoin, Melania Meme Coin nor any of the others. But they will take Visa, Mastercard, US currency. What’s the saying about do as I do not as I say? Just a note, a Trump property due to open in Dubai in 2030 advertises that it will take Bitcoin, but, well, I’m sure there is deep water to navigate as to why. Especially if they change their minds, which could happen.
Meanwhile, “stuff” is going on. This blurb from the UK:
“North Korean hackers have already stolen more than $2 billion (£1.5bn) in crypto assets this year, dwarfing previous figures, blockchain analytics firm Elliptic said.
The company said it is also seeing North Korean hacking groups increasingly targeting individuals with large crypto holdings, in part due to the rising value of such assets.
The value of this year’s thefts is largely accounted for by a massive $1.45bn heist from crypto exchange Bybit in February, Elliptic said. The Bybit hack is the largest crypto theft to date.” Silicon.co.UK
Like I need that aggravation?
Moving along, our Word A Day is hypocrisy:
“The act or practice of a hypocrite; a feigning to be what one is not, or to feel what one does not feel; a dissimulation, or a concealment of one’s real character, disposition, or motives; especially, the assuming of false appearance of virtue or religion; a simulation of goodness.”
Bringing us around to my newest favorite thimble brain, Mark Ruffalo. He just keeps popping up so it’s not like I go looking for him. You recall Mr. Ruffalo, quoted in these pages, lamenting that because Mr. Kimmel was “silenced” the United States was turning into a Taliban country. OK, well, we now have this:
“More than 4000 filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals—including Olivia Colman, Ava DuVernay, Tilda Swinton, Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem, and Ayo Edebiri—have signed a manifesto that is both a moral and political statement, pledging not to work with Israeli film institutions “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.”
The initiative, launched by Film Workers for Palestine, a group denouncing the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, calls on the international film industry not to remain silent.”La Voce di New York
I guess they’re not remaining silent by silencing their Israeli creative colleagues. The hypocrisy here is deafening. Depending on whom you are trying to silence, you are the Taliban or, brave creative artists. Sure.
The coda:
“Just weeks after nearly 4,000 members of the global entertainment industry signed a petition pledging to boycott Israeli film institutions over the war in Gaza, a new open letter was published Thursday with about 1,200 industry professionals so far declaring their opposition to the cultural boycott. Among the signatories are Liev Schreiber, Debra Messing, Mayim Bialik, Michael Rapaport, Jerry O’Connell, Mare Winningham, Anthony Edwards, Edelstein, Rebecca De Mornay, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Patricia Heaton, Fred Savage, Michael Rosenbaum, Mark Feuerstein (Royal Pains), and Howie Mandel.” Israel Hayom
Without getting into the political issue(s) involved, let me just say that I don’t think a lot is added to the human condition when actors and actresses and musicians and painters get involved like this. I don’t think they really add anything (keep in mind, they don’t have academic credentials here) and they do nothing to help their own image or careers. Some are out of touch with reality, some have no idea what they’re talking about, some use vile language.
I watch a person on a screen, his words provided by a writer helping him to pretend to be someone he’s not. And then he steps away to his own microphone, and uses his own words, and it all becomes one large aching cringe moment. He feels “compelled” to speak out. I feel compelled to switch him off.
As you know, I spent some time training to be a classical musician, so I have some small credibility when it comes to artistic issues. And I can tell you my only concern was making sure I didn’t blow the exposed tuba solo in Finlandia. The thought of then putting down the horn and commenting on Russian pressure on Finland, because the music compelled me to speak out, makes my skin crawl.
Two last thoughts.
Please stop calling people “Consumer Advocate” or “Patient Counselor” and start calling them, “Person Who Is Trying To Keep Our Expenses Down.”
Kudos to Publix in Florida. If they run out of a BOGO they give you a generous rain check to come back and try again. When a company is successful, there are reasons for it.
Thoughts, questions, or reflections? I’d love to hear them. You can reach me anytime at anthony@workingprofit.com
