# Is this a crime?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 10, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944 "2013-12-10T02:16:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/41 "2013-12-10T21:27:19Z")
> [@sitchensis](#):
>
> Two men, in Milwaukee, sentenced [to jail for the same](http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/181044881.html)thing.
>
> Looks like the worst place to try to pull this off would be Milwaukee. There was [a public outcry just a few years ago](http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/carriers-tips-diverted-to-slimy-scam-artist-nl3e386-135555018.html), the cops are probably hyper vigilant
I think we know where the idea came from now.
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/42 "2013-12-10T21:41:38Z")
> [@notmikeymadden\_gmail.com](#):
>
> What statues should i be looking under?
I’d start with Michelangelo’s \*David, \*but be careful, it’s really heavy and hard to get under.
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### Author:  [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/43 "2013-12-10T21:59:22Z")
Huh, I never heard of this before. I bet the OP thought he was the first person to ever come up with it.
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### Author:  [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/44 "2013-12-11T00:04:44Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> I’m confused, people still get newspapers?
Hey, I need something to read while taking a dump. I need to keep abreast if that Aussie guy is going to bang Luann. +Plus+ the plastic bags the Milwaukee Urinal-Shitnal comes in are ideal for picking up my dogs turds.
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Are you really this clueless or is this a poor attempt at humor? :rolleyes:
>
> At least three newspapers have circulation figures of over one million.
> [@Loach](#):
>
> Lighten up Francis. Sorry I poked your sacred cow.
And a dying cow at that. 3 million. BFD. Newspapers are todays buggy whips. By 2023 every newspaper in America combined will circulate less than 3 million.
> [@Loach](#):
>
> I’m also 100% sure the OP is not giving all the information.
Which is why I said it was time to call BS.
On what was posted here, the OP is at least guilty of a fraud and/or theft by false representation. He’d better hope nobody here is in law enforcement in his jurisdiction to make sure the proper investigators are made aware of his posts.
Oh, wait. 😃
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### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/45 "2013-12-11T01:12:28Z")
> [@pkbites](#):
>
> . . . Oh, wait. 😃
No! 😃 Sweet!
> [@SmellMyWort](#):
>
> Are people really stupid enough to mail their newspaper carrier tips/holiday bonus to a random PO Box? I guess maybe so! I think I’ll stick to including it with my monthly invoice.
Fortunately, that’s true. And this reminds me that even though I’m only getting the Sunday edition, I do have a carrier and it is the holidays. I was forgetting.
Hey, it’s been awhile since I had a subscription.
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/46 "2013-12-11T01:18:43Z")
> [@sitchensis](#):
>
> Two men, in Milwaukee, sentenced [to jail for the same](http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/181044881.html)thing.
>
> Looks like the worst place to try to pull this off would be Milwaukee. There was [a public outcry just a few years ago](http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/carriers-tips-diverted-to-slimy-scam-artist-nl3e386-135555018.html), the cops are probably hyper vigilant
…it took till this post for me to finally kind of figure out what is going on in this thread: is this another Americanism? You guys send tips to the person who delivers the newspapers, but you send the tip in one go once a year? Just trying to figure this one out, thats all.
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### Author:  [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/47 "2013-12-11T01:22:14Z")
> [@Yllaria](#):
>
> No! 😃 Sweet!
The problem is, I have no idea what agency that “detective” was from. But I’ll send out a BOLO when I work my next shift on Thursday just to CMA on it.
It’s weird. Yesterday I saw someone breaking their probation while I was in the Walgreens picking up a prescription. I’m required to report that too. This shit needs to happen while I’m actually on the clock!:mad:
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/48 "2013-12-11T01:24:23Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …it took till this post for me to finally kind of figure out what is going on in this thread: is this another Americanism? You guys send tips to the person who delivers the newspapers, but you send the tip in one go once a year? Just trying to figure this one out, thats all.
Yeah. Christmas tip/present. Same with letter carriers, hairdressers, house cleaners, etc.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/49 "2013-12-11T01:54:49Z")
> [@pkbites](#):
>
> The problem is, I have no idea what agency that “detective” was from. But I’ll send out a BOLO when I work my next shift on Thursday just to CMA on it.
>
> It’s weird. Yesterday I saw someone breaking their probation while I was in the Walgreens picking up a prescription. I’m required to report that too. This shit needs to happen while I’m actually on the clock!:mad:
That’s right you are in the land of cheese! Nice.
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#):
>
> I think we know where the idea came from now.
Yes and I think that cite proves it is a crime in Wisconsin.
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …it took till this post for me to finally kind of figure out what is going on in this thread: is this another Americanism? You guys send tips to the person who delivers the newspapers, but you send the tip in one go once a year? Just trying to figure this one out, thats all.
Yes, Christmas tip. Sometimes to the garbage man and the mailman etc. Anyone who routinely delivers a service to your house. But that is going away in a lot of cases since unlike in the past those people are rarely seen in person. For instance I have always lived where the mailman has a driving post. Where they walk up to your house you are more likely to know them personally. But with many duel income families you often never see them. And when I was a kid delivering newspapers I used to go door to door and collect money every week. Now it’s adults driving in the dead of night delivering to hundreds and the bill is paid centrally.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/50 "2013-12-11T16:56:29Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#):
>
> Yeah. Christmas tip/present. Same with letter carriers, hairdressers, house cleaners, etc.
Many, many years ago, I delivered the Herald Examiner up in the Hollywood Hills (by car, not bike). I included my phone number with one enclosure so that the clients would call me directly. Later, I sent out a Christmas greeting with my address. My mail box had scads of sizable tips. Putting them in today’s dollars, say 40 $20 bills, plus booze, cookies, etc.
Dr. Tim Leary came out in the pre-dawn darkness in his robe & PJ’s to hand me a bottle of booze. :eek: Nice guy.
So, this is not trivial cash for someone who delivers newspapers for a living.
PS. I yearly put an envelope in my mailbox for the Postal carrier with a See’s gift cert. I also add a tip to my newspaper bill. Also a See’s gift card to the UPS guy. This sort of stuff is really appreciated.
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### Author:  [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/51 "2013-12-11T17:57:10Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …it took till this post for me to finally kind of figure out what is going on in this thread: is this another Americanism? You guys send tips to the person who delivers the newspapers, but you send the tip in one go once a year? Just trying to figure this one out, thats all.
Yeah my boyfriend used to deliver papers. He would get multi-hundred-dollar tips at Christmastime from the “rich block.”
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### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-crime/675944/52 "2013-12-11T23:20:59Z")
> [@Yllaria](#):
>
> . . . And this reminds me that even though I’m only getting the Sunday edition, I do have a carrier and it is the holidays. I was forgetting.
>
> Hey, it’s been awhile since I had a subscription.
Happy to report that the tip has been sent. I was going to call customer service to ask if there was an easy way to put it on my card, but it was after five, so I emailed the question in. Got a call five minutes later and they took the card number over the phone.
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …it took till this post for me to finally kind of figure out what is going on in this thread: is this another Americanism? You guys send tips to the person who delivers the newspapers, but you send the tip in one go once a year? Just trying to figure this one out, thats all.
Some people tip monthly. It depends on the neighborhood, but when I was doing it more than two decades ago, it was maybe two people out of sixty for an adult morning route. For an afternoon route, where people could see the kids on bicycles (my sons also had routes), the rate was at roughly three times that, in our area. But we had a lot of college students in our area. They’re bad tippers.
The tippers were just as likely to give a holiday bonus as the non-tippers, so it wasn’t strictly either/or. The one tipper I’ll always remember was the little old lady on the fixed income. She couldn’t afford to give money, but she knew that the kids had to pay for their rubber bands, so she’d save all of hers and when she paid, she’d give them a baggie of rubber bands to reuse.
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