I Feel Terrible For You. Terrible.

The venerable New York Times has a story today that's got my boxer-briefs in a twist. It's about how bonus cuts hurt those beyond Wall Street.

I was naively expecting to read a little something about how, perhaps, nonprofit organizations, particularly in places like New York City, will see their individual giving reduced by enormous amounts this year. People who work in finance will often balance those giant bonuses with the tax breaks that accompany donations to nonprofits. Perhaps in turn, those donations aren't trickling down to the soup kitchens that feed so many homeless people.

Not so much.

Instead, it's about people who make a lot of money in cities other than New York who are used to getting bonuses larger than most salaries. This year, the poor bastards will have to make do with bonuses of $25,000 instead. The horror! THE HORROR!

Bonuses are rewards for a job particularly well done, I thought. If it's expected money at the end of the year, like it's some sort of regular thing, the company should really be paying it out as part of your salary.

Even if his bonus isn't as irresponsible as the millions doled out by insolvent international banking conglomerates, I find it very hard to empathize with some dude because he'll have to buy a cheaper new car this year, especially when he also says that the bonus money goes to "lifestyle maintenance" and not "frivolity."

My friend, your lifestyle maintenance is frivolity. It's very hard to care about your "plight" when so many people have real problems.