Feedback learning and generalization in robotics takes a step forward.

That isn't universally true; which is the point I was making. A tip is, by definition, extra, and various governments have banned employers from calculating the tip as part of their employees' wage and thus paying less than minimum wage.For some, the tip is actually extra (as it should be) and so is only earned (in my opinion) by especially good service.

The important difference in this case IMHO is that the Cornell (and several other current projects) is a change from the pre-programming scenario to learning by doing.One example introduced was the tasks of a waiter or waitress in the food service industry. Well, been there and seen it done and guess what; waiters and waitresses learn by doing. They make mistakes and get corrected. That is exactly how the Cornell robot in the OP learns. The difference is that the robot learns almost immediately and can then generalize from that learning experience AND it don't forget.

Generalizing sometimes produces its own mistakes that a real person might not be likely to make. But this is an adjustable aspect of the robot's learning.The only drawback to service by a robot is that robots have no potential for prettiness

Known fact.The robots all look prettier at closing time.

I guess you feel minimum wage is a livable wage. In MN that would be either $6.15 or $5.25 depending on the size of the employer. So you don't leave a tip very often? I agree the tip issue in this country is fucked up, but your solution is petty and mean. Ever work in the service industry? Waiters, waitresses and bartenders are some of the hardest working people I know.

I used to carefully calculate 10 % as a base and then when feeling generous, or for extra service or because she was cute I might run it up to 15%.Now-a-days, I am ok for money so I think about whether a buck or two on the tip makes any real difference to me. I waste or lose more than that often enough so I add it on the tip. I'm almost always over 20% and frequently significantly more.If it's in a small restaurant and the bill is $10 throwing 2 or 3 dollars on the table doesn't hurt me and makes a big difference to someone else.

Now you've hurt her feelings. You'll have to sleep sometime. She never sleeps.

I'm not aware of many places that pay less than $7.25/hr. No; but I do feel it is the minimum. And I don't see a whole lot of difference between what the dishwasher does and the server does that justifies one making more money than the other. I tipically do. So are the dishwashers and cooks.

Let's look at the service industry.Did you know the federal miniumn wage in the service industry is 2.13 an hour, with some states going as high as 5.63?I would love to see you get rent, food, electric and clothes at that amount.

or even 7.25.But he is a champion for dishwashers so that makes it all right.

This could only be said by someone who hasn't been there.Yes, Jon, service personnel do indeed live on their tips. The minimum wage laws set much lower minimums (about 1/3 of the minimum for labor) for tip eligible positions (as declared by the employer). Without a good level of tips you cannot pay the rent or buy food. The pay check you get every week doesn’t even cover your utilities and insurance let alone anything left for food and rent.Cooks and dish washers are not in tip eligible positions and are thus covered by the higher minimum wage for labor.And 15% is minimal. Anything less is not just cheep it’s a slap in the face to the server.Try it for a couple years. I assure you that if you do not have a second job to supplement your server job you will not make it.

As I said in Message 31, things don't work in line with just the federal laws in all locales.In Minnesota, it is against the law to include tips in a calculation of minimum wage. Employers must pay the minimum wage to tipped employees.And this changes the dynamic quite a bit, because then there is nothing different about a server, a dishwasher, or a Wal-Mart cashier except that you apparently only think one of them is worth tipping regardless of the quality of service. I make $6.05/hr.Edited by Jon, : No reason given.

Perhaps. But like I said, where I live the notion of paying someone less than minimum wage on the premise that their tips will make up the difference is not only ridiculous but illegal.Servers make the same minimum wage that any other minimum wage employee at the same establishment would make. This isn't true everywhere, as I've repeatedly said.My attitudes toward tipping might be different if I lived elsewhere.Edited by Jon, : No reason given.

Just to make sure there is a clear understanding, under federal law if an employees wage+tips do not equal the minimum wage ($7.25) then the employer has to kick in to make the minimum. So, tipped employees do make at least the minimum wage, and the hope is, maybe a bit more to help feed the baby. Your attitudes toward tipping would be different if you had to work in such a job.And, just to rub it in (cuz I'm an ass) I note that Minnesota's minimum wage is less than the federal standard.What a wonderful set of attitudes your region has.

But the laws that are in place make it likely that most folk will earn the federal minimum. And how unfortunate for the cashiers who also have to feed babies with the same minimum wage but no tips.If you're such a great guy, why don't you tip everyone who makes minimum wage that is somehow or another involved in your acquisition of some good or service?