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By velveeta chz on Logan Saw a Dude Steal Some Coffee And Said Nothing And Mike Is Like, That's Wrong
I'm a public defender, so I'm with Logan here. The criminal consequences of a theft of even a minimal amount can be severe for someone who is already on the fringes. In MD, theft under $100 carries a potential penalty of 90 days in jail, with additional penalties possible if the person has prior convictions. I have seen people who stole less than $10 worth of stuff go to jail, even when the complainant got his or her money back. Sometimes people have mental illness, sometimes they have substance abuse issues, sometimes they're just poor and trying to make a little cash on the side. I know a lot of people have more sympathy for the guy stealing lunch than they do for the guy lifting DVDs from walmart, but I have to say, having had both those clients, often their lives are equally unstable. This isn't to say that I think theft is okay, or that the law shouldn't prohibit it, but once someone gets brought into the machine of the criminal justice system, it brings about a whole host of consequences, some very far-reaching, that are often disproportionate to the offense. I just think the criminal justice system is horribly, terribly unfair to poor people, which for me is best encapsulated in this quote, "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." Griffin v. Illinois, 351 U.S. 12, 23 (1956) (quoting Anatole France).
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By aetataureate on Structure, Consistency, Accountability
There's not a kind way to ask what I want to ask! Let's just do it. How much is your work dynamic now the same as it was at the old job where Logan pretty openly took advantage of Mike?
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By redheaded&crazy on How Natasha Vargas-Cooper Does Money
You think dinner is expensive? Plan B is expensive. Fuck you. Chances are you’re going to get blowjay after this date so just be a gentleman and pay for my fucking pad thai. Girls who let dudes get away with that shit are scabs. SOLIDARITY, SISTERS. Whoa.
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By Charlsie on Weddings Are Super Expensive to Attend, It Turns Out
I can honestly say it was a pleasure and an honor to be a part of every single wedding. I can also say, I am rarely able to give wedding presents. If I attend a shower, I will give a present. If I can afford it, I will give a present. However, if it comes down to me traveling to attend an engagement party and buying you a present, I’m going to be at your engagement party. I like to believe that any of my friends who care enough about me to include me in their special day understand the fiscal constraints of wedding presents. I also understand that not being able to afford all the weddings in your life is a rather ridiculous problem. I try to consider weddings something of a “hobby,” and not worry too much about how expensive it is. Because, dang it, my friends are worth it! I just wish wedding travel was tax deductable. And I hate etiquette books that chastise me for expecting a plus one and for not always giving a gift. Here is why - I am not exaggerating when I say I’ve been invited to between 75-100 weddings in the past ten years. I remember the summer after my first year of law school, 2004, I studied abroad and I missed six weddings. In 2007, I was invited to 24 weddings. I attended 13 of them. After that, I stopped keeping track, mostly because I literally couldn’t keep them straight. But I’m pretty sure 2008 had similar numbers as 2007. I’ve thought about sitting down and actually writing down every wedding I’ve ever been invited to, and I’m not sure I’m capable of that task. I’m not sure I could even tell you all the weddings I’ve attended. I would attribute all of my consumer debt to going to, and being in, weddings. I was a bridesmaid in four weddings over the span of six weeks in 2009. The weddings were from the last weekend in April til the middle of June, and I had to purchase the bridesmaid dresses six months prior, which meant, December. So, December 2008, I spent close to $1000 on bridesmaid dresses. Merry Christmas! I’ve been a bridesmaid 12 times, and I have been a reader five times. (I believe these numbers to be accurate, but I feel like I’m leaving someone out) That means I’ve been to 17 actual rehearsals and bridesmaid luncheons. I’ve been one of 13 bridesmaids at least three times. I’ve been a MOH twice. Two of the weddings were in my parent’s backyard. I’ve traveled to Colorado (twice), New Orleans (twice), Louisville, Dallas, Memphis, Birmingham, Williamsburg, Atlanta (lost count on that one), Charleston (before I lived here), St. Simons, Beaufort, Conway, Columbus, Macon, Athens, Savannah, Greenville, and lord knows where else. Ahh, so many memories. I like to believe it was all worth it. But don't take away my plus one, because it hurts my feelings. And I'm too old to not at least have the option to bring a date if I want.
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By carro on I Spent My $66,000 Inheritance on Basically Nothing
@whateverlolawants I think the original article is a good (if extreme) lesson to hear - what seems incredibly weird are all the comments indicating that this chain of events is somehow expected/ok, just unfortunate. A 22-year old college graduate is not a child! My distaste also probably has to do with current events - my fiance amassed huge amounts of credit card debt in the same after-college period, and though I knew it existed I just recently figured out just how bad the situation is. Ugh.
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By chic noir on I Spent My $66,000 Inheritance on Basically Nothing
I've been reading this blog for a few weeks. Love it Mike, Logan and the rest of you guys but I really need to chime in. Blowing thru so much money is not something to be treated lightly. Money= freedom. I don’t know, this post and comments have me really thinking about why some people are rich and why most people struggle. Sure it a huge part of it is opportunities, connections and just plain luck but even when the less to do are given a windfall of cash, how often do they use that money responsibly? I would like to think if I inherited 60,000, I would give myself 6-8K to spend anyway I want(Celine bag, 2-3 pairs of miu miu flats, Paris, Italy and Sweden here I come) but the rest would be saved for truly cats, dogs, and cows rainy day.
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By Natasha Simons@twitter on I Spent My $66,000 Inheritance on Basically Nothing
Y'all have got to be kidding with all this pat-on-the-back breed of comments. I sweat over every single purchase over $30. Blowing that first $5000 in a fit of exuberance? Fine. Blowing the rest of it? Absolutely unacceptably disgustingly 1%. How embarrassing that we write off irresponsible spending like this as some general right of the young, rather than a total and irredeemable waste.
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By Sean Lai on Logan Saw a Dude Steal Some Coffee And Said Nothing And Mike Is Like, That's Wrong
You did the right thing, Logan. It's not even rationalizing based on his background - it's just a bag of coffee. If a dude in a $2000 suit stole a bag of coffee from a Starbucks, I MIGHT say something in passing to an employee but I wouldn't really believe a theft like that would warrant doing much about it. Maybe banning him from the store in the future, I guess. Property rules exist to serve humans, folks. They don't have meaning independent of our social judgment. Also, holy bejeebus Mike Dang, I can't believe you even contemplate calling the cops on people smoking weed in a park. Good lord.