You're in the LA area right. He's a foreigner that owns TWO houses. Don't give in. Foreigners have a "I didn't understand" game they play to get over on us.

I don't see any American Indian names on this site. You are all a bunch of foreigners just like me. Your families just came over earlier in history.

No paperwork to back yourself up?

The best one of these types that I had was a preachers wife. She actually stopped payment on a check.

Claimed that I was to have installed a UPS/Surge and that I didn't.

After a conversation where I explained that the contract specified exactly what they had paid for, and that I was going to have her arrested for fraud, she paid the bill in currency (I wouldn't take another check).

Yeah, months earlier we had discussed the need for a UPS/Surge, and she said no to the cost.


I call it "selective memory".

burton,
He's in WA, not LA, and neither of us meant Louisiana.


That's technically correct but kind of a silly point to make. You can go ahead right now and say that I sometimes make silly points, so I should recognize them when I see them.

Homo sapiens is believed to have originated in Africa, if I'm anywhere near up on things, so anybody in the Americas came here from somewhere else or are descended from people who came here.

One of the miracles of the United States is that people come here and either they or their children become American over a period of time. "American" is a collection of values, not a color or a collection of hereditary traits. In fact, one of the most basic of American traits is that you DON'T inherit your station in life from your parents, that your place in life is what you determine it to be through your own hard work.

I think it's valid to call people "foreigners" who haven't become "American." The words are as simple as that, though the attitudes and actions are more complicated.

Back to the discussion now... Mr. S, is this anywhere near resolved yet?

As others have already said, a clearly defined scope of works is the answer. We preface ours with a statement along the lines of "anything not specifically defined within the scope of works is expressly excluded. We end the SOW by listing any exclusions that we feel the client could argue they felt were implied, such as:
mains power points
joinery works
chasing and making good
redecoration
subscription services
etc.

painful as it is to do, writing a detailed scope of works, and getting it signed and accepted by the client, is way less painful than arguing over detail at the end, and gives you something to go to court within challenged.

As an aside, my GF speaks Portuguese, and speaks broken English, and it was always interesting to see how she was sometimes talked down to and treated (especially when dealing with Comcast, or her bank over the phone... because they seemed to think (by her accent) that she might have been hispanic... She became an American citizen too. Oh well. Sorry to drift off course.


Well, yeah, he's cool. He is very nice, has money, an apologized for his misunderstanding... I'll do the R&R and cut him a very fair deal, as he had a ridiculously cheap bid from his electrician (you know how THAT would turn out- right?)....

So bottom line we worked it out, and he understands exactly wht the costs involved will be... realizes I'm going to cut him a brother-in-law deal so it's all good.

So, you think 'Hispanic' means 'Mexican'?

From www.thefreedictionary.com,

Hispanic-

Of or relating to Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America.
Of or relating to a Spanish-speaking people or culture.
n.
A Spanish-speaking person.

She IS Hispanic, if she's from Brazil.

Nope, Seattle Washington. Yep... used to deal with the large Asian influx that moved here in the 70's & 80's---wealthy people buying up houses in droves.

They sure understood money, and how to bargain... Their english became very good at that pointg.

Ah, the old Mexican Hispanic argument.....


A good friend is from Venezuela. I tell it's nice to have a Mexican for a friend, just to get him going.... :-)

Except that a majority of people in Brazil speak Portuguese and are generally not considered to be Hispanic.

But it's nice for a segue....
I once went to a bris followed by a short party. The couple were Apple-pie American (she), and French Moroccan. While I was there, I overheard the brother of the kid's dad ordering up some girls for a different party to be held that night. The thing is, he was talking right out loud in Spanish. Everybody else at the party was speaking English and French.

I got a bit of delight out of saying good-night to him when I left, saying good night in English, telling him in French "it's good to be careful what you say at parties," and ending with "because someone might understand" in Spanish.

+1

Call a Latina-a hispanic & get prepared to get your face-ripped off! LOL

I met her a a bar. I was with a friend (white guy) who speaks Portuguese... This gal had her back to us and was talking excitedly to her sister over the phone, figuring we were just English speaking dudes...

When she got off the phone my friend tapped her on the shoulder and said: "So... does your sister think you should get a Tramp-Stamp or not???"

She turned around, eyes and mouth wide open, turning beet red and broke out laughing hysterically and totally surprised!

BTW she never got a tatoo, but we laugh about it often!

Try telling that to HER! Or anyone in her family, then ..... RUN LIKE HELL!

Spanish speaking people are hispanic whether they are from Mexico, or Latin America. Brazilians and Portuguese (who speak Portuguese) are NOT hispanics, and you're throwing gas on a fire if you refer to them as Hispanic or Mexican. just sayin'

They (Latinas / Latinos dont like hispanic music or dance or some aspects of their culture-although they are similar -especially to us white-guys) ----but to the (especially Southern Brazilian guys) there is a BIG difference, and they actually look at Hispanics to be of a lower class.


Brazilians have a LOT of Brazilian pride, and speak Portuguese---it's almost like a little racism deal going on down there! Skin color is also a big deal down there. The darker the skin, the lower on the social scale. Its similar to some uh, other countries! (wink-wink) 8>)

The further south in Brazil you go, the more apparent it becomes... and the more (we are cooler than Hispanics) the attitude is.