REMOVE THE TATTOO OR LOOSE YOUR JOB

     Isn't this 2014? Are we still discriminating against people with tattoos? I mean seriously? Apparently, in Michigan they don' like tattoos, which is weird because I know plenty of people from Michigan and they're all tatted up. So, anyway, a Starbucks barista in Michigan could lose her job over a tattoo on her hand that is smaller than a penny. 

     The woman told a news source that she was recently given an ultimatum to get rid of her tattoo within 30 days or resign. According to the barista, "It's just a little heart; you can cover it up with your thumb. It's not offensive to anybody and now I am being told after five years of having this tattoo, being hired in that, I have to get rid of it or resign from my job."

     The 27-year-old woman from Rochester Hills said that the tattoo is located above her left thumb and she had it when Starbucks originally hired her five years ago. She has been using makeup to hide it, but apparently, that didn't satisfy her bosses at a Starbucks in Troy, Michigan. According to Starbucks, company policy bars baristas from having visible tattoos. They say, "This is part of our dress code policy and is discussed with our candidates during the interview process."

     Again, I ask: Is this 2014? I mean discrimination of people with tattoos is a thing of the past. In fact, last I checked; any sort of discrimination is a thing of the past. Then again, Troy, Michigan might be a city that hasn't really caught up yet. I'm pretty sure that I've seen tattoos on baristas at Starbucks in NYC and even here in NJ. So, if this is a dress code policy, it's not a strict one. Besides what's a small tattoo that looks like a birth mark really going to do to someone's coffee? Starbuck's needs to wake up!

HILLBILLY HOTTIES.....IT'S A COFFEE SHOP?

There's nothing wrong with a little breast milk in your coffee, right? Okay, that was gross! Anyway, a trio of baristas were recently busted for allegedly serving up more than just coffee in this little espresso stand in Washington state.

It turns out; the scantily clad women, who worked at Hillbilly Hotties in Everett, were locked up on Wednesday following a surprise bust by police carrying a search warrant after rising complaints by local residents. One officer claimed that body parts were being shown and inappropriate things were being done at the location. So, what that body parts were being exposed! Were they exposing them to children? And how can anything inappropriate happen at this place? Have they seen how small this place was? I don't even think three people can fit in this thing! 

The hot pink stand, which celebrates "Wet T-Shirt Wednesdays" and "Pasty Fridays," boasts "tasty treats" with scandalous photos of its baristas wearing itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie bikinis on the company Facebook page. Again, I say, "Who cares?" About 10 years ago, a radio show called "Opie and Anthony" celebrated "W.O.W.", which was known as "Whip 'Em Out Wednesday", where they would coax listeners to flash their breasts on Wednesdays. Did they get arrested for celebrating scandalous stuff like that? They're still on the air today, so I think not. 

On the Facebook page, a photo of a brunette named Tasia stretching back in red and black lingerie with a caption that read: "Hurry in! She needs you!" Other photos also pair sexually suggestive captions with provocative poses. Authorities, who are not identifying the women by name, charged two of them, ages 20 and 21, with violating the city's adult cabaret law prohibiting performing in public while either unclothed or exposing private parts. Okay, well that might be a problem then. I never heard of such a law, but those people up in Washington state are cooky! The third woman, 33, was arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct after an unrelated investigation at a different coffee stand.

 Despite the arrests, the shop, whose motto is "We make our coffee hot!" remained open for business after the bust, whole reactions about the bust varied. Many were relieved, but many feel that the arrest was motivated by jealousy. One user suggested that the police probably came because some less attractive housewife saw her husband there and got jealous. The bottom line is that there is no proof that anything lewd happened at the shop. As for the suggestive photos on their Facebook page, it's called marketing! How else can you target a male audience without using sex appeal? I'm going to have to agree with the person who says a jealous housewife called the police on this shop because personally, I don't think they did anything wrong. In fact, they should open up a Hillbilly Hotties right here in Jersey!

DEAF JAM AT STARBUCKS

It's human nature to poke fun and make fun of things that aren't normal. What isn't human nature is being cruel to other human beings. That's what happened at two different Starbucks in New York City when some "cruel" employees mocked some deaf customers and refused to serve them, and now Starbucks is being sued. According to lawyer Eric Baum, who's suing on behalf of a dozen deaf customers, "They were ridiculed, laughed at and told they had to leave Starbucks." Jamie Riley, a spokeswoman for the mega-popular coffee chain, claims they were aware of the allegations and were investigating. She said, "Discrimination of any kind is unacceptable at Starbucks."

According to the lawsuit, one incident took place at 424 Park Ave South in August 2012, when a customer named Alan Roth said a barista laughed when he placed his order, telling him he sounded so funny, and then proceeded to ask him to continually repeat himself as she laughed harder each time until she was hysterically laughing. Who does this? And why is Starbucks hiring people like this? When Roth demanded to speak to a manager, the barista started screaming obscenities at him and had to be restrained by other Starbucks employees. Another employee told Roth to leave and never come back. I didn't realize these employees owned a public place where they can tell people to never come back, especially when he wasn't the one who did anything wrong. Roth says he's never before been so blatantly and maliciously discriminated against. 

The other incident happened at 13-25 Astor Place, which had been chosen as the monthly gathering place for an informal "Deaf Chat Coffee" social group. The lawsuit says the deaf customers were forced to leave and even had the police called on them another time. The police officers wound up apologizing to the group members and scolded the employees for having them called. When the officers left, one of the employees ordered the group to go and not return. Baum said that despite being barred by the employee, some of the group has since returned anyway because they feel that if they leave and never return; Starbucks wins. 

I have to be honest, I don't feel any of this should be blamed on Starbucks as a company, but I do feel that they need to seriously hire better employees. At some Starbucks, especially in Manhattan, they seem so lazy and bothered when you're ordering your drinks. Sometimes it makes you feel like apologizing for ordering. Hey, I have a message for you Starbucks baristas out there, "You work at Starbucks! And probably for minimum wage! You have no right to tell people if they can or can't stay!" For the most part, I find Starbucks' employees extremely friendly, which is why I am quite shocked by these allegations. Then again, these shops were in New York City. By the way, many of the deaf customers complained to Starbucks corporate headquarters in Seattle, and were given an apology and an offer of a gift card without any mention of disciplinary action being taken on the employees. The suit is actually seeking unspecified money damages, a court order barring discrimination against the deaf and better training for Starbucks employees. Does anyone else find it funny that Starbucks tried to make this right with a gift card?