The Sun-Times Lesson for all of us

There's a thread here about Chicago Sun-Times writer Mike Kiley being fired, apparently for some problem with his expense reports.

I know we all joke about fudging the paperwork and getting receipts for dinners that others have paid for and phantom cab rides, but these are different times. Papers are watching every dime and they're also anxious to lop tenured people off the payroll whenever possible -- either to replace them with someone cheaper or to leave the position open.

So my admittedly preachy point is whatever small gain you might make inflating expenses or doing unauthorized freelance stuff or getting free tickets isn't worth it. Somebody might find out and you could blow your income, your retirement and everything else. It isn't worth it, especially when jobs are tough to come by in these days of savage cutbacks.

Thus concludes today's sermon, but it's a point I thought needed to be raised.

 

I thought the lesson was going to be: Don't hire Jay Mariotti

 

Nice way to welch on your promise of a lunch whenever we met up, Smasher.

Cheap bastard. Now I'll have to fight for scraps with Norm MacLean. Thanks.

 

That's too obvious.

 

Hey, we're good for lunch for however long Wendy's keeps the 99 cent menu. Guaranteed.

You could lose a thumb trying to take that last fruit cup away from Norm in the Shea press room.

 

Only a thumb?

And I'm hungry so I'm ordering like three of those five-piece chicken nuggets thingies.

 

You're right -- an entire hand is more likely.

You're good for up to $5 on the lunch. The allotment is up to you. Remember -- a Frosty lasts a while, especially with your time out for the head freeze.

 

Also, keep pretending we all work only 40 hours per week as far as the timesheet goes. Surely we can get all that work done under 40. After all, we're just watching games.

 

But the new vanilla one tastes like a McDonald's milk shake.

 

Last year I wrote my expenses off on taxes and came out further ahead than if I'd gotten them from my paper.

Bring it, IRS! I saved all my receipts.

Audit me and all I get is a day off work.