McDonald's Server On Strike: 'We Worry About Going Hungry'

A lot of people have been asking me why I went on strike. I have a simple answer: Because I'm not a teen anymore.
I work at McDonald's, 
and I hear a lot of people talk about how fast-food jobs are for teenagers. Well, I'm not a teenager. I'm 33 years old. And I work with a lot of people in their 30s, 40s and 50s who are working to pay their rent and put food on the table. I worked fast-food as a teen to make a few extra bucks for clothes and a cellphone. My job didn't pay me enough to support myself, but I didn't need to support myself. I thought I'd go on to get a "grown-up" job, one that would pay all my bills and not have to choose between food and keeping the lights on.

I did get that "grown-up" job, selling skin products at a brand-name skin-care store. I got to use my people skills -- working with customers to figure out which products were best for their skin. The more I listened to and connected with customers, the more I sold. I was good at my job. I ended up being a top salesperson.

More: McDonald's Pushes Employees To Be Cheerier

I made $16.50 an hour plus some commission. I felt good knowing that I was helping the company be profitable and helping myself. I made enough in base salary to be able to afford a roof over my head, food on the table and decent clothes. And if I worked really hard and made a lot of sales, I got more money, too.

I had that job for 6½ years. Then the economy crashed, and people didn't have money to spend on face lotions anymore. At first, I thought I'd get another decent-paying job in a month or two. I had good sales experience and great references.

I couldn't find another decent sales job, no matter how hard I tried. So I finally did something I never thought I'd do. I got another fast-food job.

I make $7.25 an hour, less than half of what I made in my last job. That's OK if you're 16 and you want to buy a phone or sneakers, but it's not OK if you're supporting yourself. Even though I serve food at my job, I can't afford to buy enough food. I have to rely on food stamps. I'd go hungry without them.

More: McDonald's Server Would Need To Work 550 Years To Earn CEO's Pay

When I went on strike last week, I was in a crowd of other workers who are struggling just like me. Most of us are older and have rent and bills to pay. Some of us have kids. All of us have to make hard choices between food and medicine, lights and rent. We all worry about going hungry or ending up homeless.

We don't make enough money to take care of ourselves or to help our neighborhoods. If we had a few extra dollars in our pockets, we'd spend it and help create jobs and help get the economy going again.

It gets to me. I was a pretty happy person when I worked at the skin care store, but now I have panic attacks. I went on strike last week because I can't stand the stress of trying to live on minimum wage. Worrying about the future is the hardest part, because at $7.25, I don't have a future.

Stephanie Sanders is a McDonald's worker and a member of the Milwaukee Workers Organizing Committee, fast-food workers who have joined together to seek fair pay and the right to form a union. Her story was originally published in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

 

Style in Beverly Hills Eddie Murphy Daughters

Eddie Murphy may be a funnyman, but you know what isn't funny? His daughters' sense of style! 
The sisterly Murphy duo, Bria and Shane, were spotted out doing their beauty rounds in Beverly Hills, stopping to get manicures and enjoy a little girl-on-girl time. But what's most impressive isn't their whereabouts, but just how good they are at mastering effortless street style.

The sisters looked both comfy and cute with a little Rihanna edge, as they both opted for oversize tops and short shorts to show off their gams.
Shane opted for a beanie with her denim shorts, while Bria kept it straight NYC in a 40oz Van cap and a pair of Jordan Bred fours.
We're definitely keeping these beauties on our style radar.
Photo Credit: Splash News

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Global Grind ~~

Kim & Kanye West "Baby Shower"

Kim Kardashian knows how to use her words pretty well.
The 32-year-old pregnant reality star is having her baby shower soon, and while Kanye West wasn't going to come (cus it's a girl thing), she was able to convince him otherwise.
According to RadarOnline, Kanye didn't want to come to the shower being that cameras for Kimmy's show Keeping Up with the Kardashians are going to be on the scene, but she found a way for him to be there to support her.
A source told the site that Yeezy had "to stop by the baby shower which is taking place on June 2. The baby shower will be filmed for Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and he just doesn’t want to appear on the show at all, period."
They continued:

“Kim nagged him until he agreed when she said it would look really bad if he didn’t show up. Kanye thinks it’s silly to even go to the baby shower since he will be the only man there. He will be there for less than ten minutes, tops. It was important to Kim that he go, so he agreed.”

Even though there will be cameras there, as there has been throughout Kim's whole pregnancy, Kanye laid down the law and said that there won't be cameras around the new parents and their baby after he or she is born.

Read more: http://globalgrind.com/entertainment/pregnant-kim-kardashian-convinces-kanye-west-come-baby-shower-details#ixzz2UGrByMZJ

PHOTO CREDIT: WENN

 

President Barack Obama forgot protocol

President Barack Obama forgot protocol while boarding Marine One en route to Annapolis, Maryland, CNN reported on Friday.
Obama did not salute the Marine standing at the bottom of the helicopter while boarding. Upon realizing the faux pas, the president jogged back down to shake hands with the Marine and spoke privately with him before entering the helicopter again.
Obama may have had plenty on his mind, as he was on his way to speak at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation, just a day after delivering a major speech on national security, drones and the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.

FORBES "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women

As they do every year, the editors at Forbes magazine picked "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" for 2013. Based on money, media presence and impact, Forbes narrowed their list down from 250 candidates to include heads of states, CEOs, philanthropists and yes, even celebrities.
"We've selected women that go beyond the traditional taxonomy of the power elite (political and economic might)," explains Forbes. "These change-agents are actually shifting our very idea of clout and authority and, in the process, transforming the world in fresh and exhilarating ways."
Below, find the top 5 most powerful celebrity women according to Forbes, and click on over to Forbes.com for the full list and explanations on how these fierce ladies made the cut:

Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti wins LA MAYOR election ...L.A. first elected Jewish mayor

Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti on Wednesday described himself as a "street-level mayor" in his first appearance since winning Los Angeles' highest office, saying he will focus on the city's economy while also working to restore basic services.
Surrounded by supporters, Garcetti met with reporters on a basketball court in Echo Park, a neighborhood represented by the councilman since 2001. His main priorities, he said, will be luring businesses to L.A. and creating job growth, and bringing back services like tree trimming and street paving.
"This is a place where we are ready to put the recession in the rearview mirror, and move forward with prosperity once again," Garcetti said.
The Echo Park event came hours after Garcetti's win in the mayor's race, a decisive victory that makes the city councilman L.A.'s first elected Jewish mayor.
The former City Council president bested rival Wendy Greuel by a 54-46 margin, according to the city elections division. He earned 181,995 votes, compared to Greuel's 155,497 ballots. There are still 82,185 ballots left to be counted, but they are not expected to swing the outcome. City officials have until June 11 to certify the count.
Turnout in Tuesday's election was 23.7 percent, up slightly from the March primary election, which had 20.79 percent, city officials said Wednesday.
City controller Greuel, who sought to become the city's first woman

Xbox One revealed In stores later this year

Microsoft's new Xbox has been officially unveiled at the company's Redmond campus in a big, giant tent in the middle of the complex (so much for the console sharing its birth story with friends as a teenager).

For a sense of symmetry with our PlayStation 4 reveal post, the announcement of the new Xbox console comes seven years and six months (2,737 days) after the launch of the Xbox 360, marking one of the longest distances of wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff between one console and its next regeneration.

The distance in time between this console and the last certainly makes up for the original Xbox's lifespan, which was one of the shortest, at a mere four years and one day.

Update: The Xbox One will launch "later this year," Microsoft President of Interactive Entertainment Business Don Mattrick said near the end of today's conference.