[mind_heist]

Is that picture going to get Irlan in trouble ?

[krick]

I hope not, but it seems to me that not taking photos if explicitly asked not to is the least you can do for a guy who, upon arresting you treats you like a best friend, helps you to get refund for unused ticket and buys you bear and coffee. Hell, it's actually only human to restrain from taking photos of somebody who doesn't want to, but doing so to that Irlan guy?

The most repulsive thing is author doesn't do that because of malevolence. He just honestly doesn't care.

It's funny that probably being a type of person that I dislike so much, may be actually helping him to write a story I like so much.

[crazypyro]

I personally don't find it morally wrong to take pictures of someone who was pressuring you for bribes. My "best friends" don't try to extort me for money. Irlan was only nice when he realized the author could provide entertainment and had very little assets...

[jpatokal]

"Extortion" is not the right word here. The OP was genuinely in hot water due to their own actions, Irlan was offering a potential way out.

It would be extortion if Irlan had (say) planted a kilo of heroin in his bags and then demanded money.

[witty_username]

But it's still bribery and corruption.

[TeMPOraL]

It's also sad that being a helpful person may put you in a world of trouble.

The author may have just not cared, but this kind of behaviour makes good people less helpful just out of a need for self-preservation - you never know if that random person you've just bent the rules for won't do something that'll cost you your job, or your freedom.

[gedrap]

But what about all the internet fame? This is a really really dick move by the author.

[waqf]

> buys you bear and coffee

You give bribe, I buy you bear. You give no bribe, I buy you two bears.

(Or insert any other joke here, they write themselves.)

[klenwell]

The same thing crossed my mind. In his statement to the judge, he says:

I very sincerely, on behalf of my country and Obama, my state and Arnold Schwarzenegger, myself and my family beseeched her to be lenient in her judgment.

Schwarzenegger was governor until 2011, which would presumably date his escapades to sometime between 2009 and 2011. Hopefully it's long enough ago to clear Irlan or anyone else mentioned or photographed in the post of any problems should it get traced back to them.

Great story, by the way. Well told.

[giancarlostoro]

I was wondering the same thing. Hopefully the wrong people never find it. It's no wonder they didn't want him sharing their picture, I hope he changed the actual names.

[zanny]

If you are going to make a blog about something like this, at least change the names.

[marssaxman]

Maybe he did. Would we know?