tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post550214709636888197..comments2024-03-28T07:49:04.960+00:00Comments on nickhereandnow: The slippery slopenickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10472673041193755894noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-64930697701935053882013-06-13T11:40:45.459+01:002013-06-13T11:40:45.459+01:00Bonsaimum: Unfortunately it's often the honest...Bonsaimum: Unfortunately it's often the honest, down-to-earth folk who get into powerful positions and then succumb to the temptation to enrich themselves....Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-86378205705027460892013-06-13T09:38:20.599+01:002013-06-13T09:38:20.599+01:00We see ourselves as honest down to earth folk---so...We see ourselves as honest down to earth folk---so needless to say we will never get anywhere!bonsaimumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07684530085331629758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-4927626917019278002013-06-10T16:13:11.866+01:002013-06-10T16:13:11.866+01:00Ramana: I guess if it's a universal routine th...Ramana: I guess if it's a universal routine that virtually everyone goes along with, then you can't really describe it as immoral. Immorality after all is a relative term and always depends to some extent on the context.Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-74235704688566718522013-06-10T15:22:34.043+01:002013-06-10T15:22:34.043+01:00We start our lives in India by learning to bribe o...We start our lives in India by learning to bribe our Gods. If you bribe them, they do things for you. With that value firmly established in our psyches, baksheesh is an accepted as normal expectation and no moral turpitude is attached to it. Unfortunately for me, I have never been in any position where I was either God or in a position to do something in exchange for a baksheesh. I have however been on the giving end and though I do not directly dirty my hands, I use agents who specialise in fixing our very baksheesh oriented system,<br /><br />Does that make me immoral? Rummuserhttp://www.rummuser.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-23972244251993494632013-06-10T13:22:10.421+01:002013-06-10T13:22:10.421+01:00Ursula: I think my own pet fantasy is not so much ...Ursula: I think my own pet fantasy is not so much burglary as blowing up some hideous building I've driven past a thousand times and would love to see the last of.Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-40936904353743420742013-06-10T13:07:06.636+01:002013-06-10T13:07:06.636+01:00Leah, I agree with you about scaring people. Or, h...Leah, I agree with you about scaring people. Or, heaven forbid, laying so much as a finger on anyone. That is, most definitely, not part of the game. And that's all it is: A game we play out in our imagination. I like casting myself in the mould of the cat burglar - middle of the night, security in a slumber. Naturally, knowing my luck, I'll knock something over and make a frightful noise.<br /><br />UUrsulahttp://bitchontheblog.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-936978994497107592013-06-10T09:22:42.303+01:002013-06-10T09:22:42.303+01:00Agent: True, people are very contradictory when it...Agent: True, people are very contradictory when it comes to morals/ethics. We all have our own personal exemptions, based on absolutely impeccable reasoning!<br /><br />Cocking a snook means to ridicule or ignore. The origins of the phrase are obscure, no idea if it has an obscene connection!Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-61148558151163621602013-06-10T00:08:19.106+01:002013-06-10T00:08:19.106+01:00Everyone has their own personal ethical lacunae - ...Everyone has their own personal ethical lacunae - areas where they will be dishonest - and yet are aghast at others' if they don't line up. Human nature, I guess.<br /><br />But what the hell does "cock a snook" mean? Sounds obscene.Secret Agent Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07564690116156754219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-47567782249293425832013-06-09T19:22:12.306+01:002013-06-09T19:22:12.306+01:00Leah: And sometimes I think it's actually nece...Leah: And sometimes I think it's actually necessary to cheat on someone. For your own sanity. For your own emotional well-being.Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-31318484702168288572013-06-09T19:20:29.547+01:002013-06-09T19:20:29.547+01:00Leah: Yes, that seems fair enough to me! Why shoul...Leah: Yes, that seems fair enough to me! Why should we be short-changed?<br /><br />You're right about life being more complicated. Who hasn't cheated on someone in one way or another? Maybe we just kidded ourselves it wasn't really cheating....<br /><br />I agree too about scaring people. People are scared enough already about all sorts of things. What entitles us to scare them some more?Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-5706253965465747262013-06-09T13:07:21.134+01:002013-06-09T13:07:21.134+01:00P.S. I'd probably not rob a bank, even if I kn...P.S. I'd probably not rob a bank, even if I knew I wouldn't get caught, because bank robberies often involve scaring people, and that is my one area of absolute. Now, a bank heist, well, I'll have to get back to you on that.Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14061893047279652658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-54475015628192371832013-06-09T13:04:46.377+01:002013-06-09T13:04:46.377+01:00I notice an interesting theme in these comments: b...I notice an interesting theme in these comments: big corporation, government taxing body, those entities that we perceive as fucking us over on a regular basis, well, we might bend our moral/ethical rules when it comes to the "fuck-back." <br /><br />And Bijoux, life is a hell of a lot more complicated than you make it out to be.Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14061893047279652658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-16082700427483777182013-06-09T09:03:53.903+01:002013-06-09T09:03:53.903+01:00e: We have ways of making you talk....e: We have ways of making you talk....Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-32498116283785700112013-06-09T02:23:38.546+01:002013-06-09T02:23:38.546+01:00I refuse to comment further on the grounds that I ...I refuse to comment further on the grounds that I may incriminate myself...ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11376645220662546020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-72338807190524355412013-06-08T08:10:02.100+01:002013-06-08T08:10:02.100+01:00Grannymar: Why, you little rubber-band thief! What...Grannymar: Why, you little rubber-band thief! What shabby goings-on!<br /><br />www: I suspect you're generally right, that ill gotten gains do the receiver absolutely no good. Even if they aren't found out, furtive secrets can do a lot of emotional damage.<br /><br />Jean: Too old to remember indeed. A likely story.Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-7001751871837031112013-06-08T02:12:57.617+01:002013-06-08T02:12:57.617+01:00Bad behavior in the past? Too old to remember. B...Bad behavior in the past? Too old to remember. Bad behavior now? Too busy playing with my toys (my blog, Photoshop, etc.). Other people find me a lot more boring than scandalous, I'm afraid. :)Cheerful Monkhttp://cheerfulmonk.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-72462101960716739362013-06-08T01:51:35.417+01:002013-06-08T01:51:35.417+01:00Gosh I wasn't going to comment and I will plea...Gosh I wasn't going to comment and I will plead the fifth for past behaviour and can swear, but not on a bible, I've been a very very good girl for a long time now.<br /><br />And I firmly believe today that ill gotten gains do the receiver absolutely no good. I've seen it.<br /><br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-61711248869131620372013-06-07T22:45:07.074+01:002013-06-07T22:45:07.074+01:00I confess.... I stole away from here this morning ...I confess.... I stole away from here this morning without leaving a comment. I would blame a phone call if only I could remember back that far. I often came home from work with bracelets that I was not wearing when leaving home! They were rubber bands that held bundles of case files together. As I removed them to work on the files the easiest place for them was on my wrist!<br /><br />My car likes to travel at speed and I really have to keep her in check to stay within the limit.<br /><br />Thus ends my confession!Grannymarhttp://grannymar.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-23525211830661976282013-06-07T21:02:28.341+01:002013-06-07T21:02:28.341+01:00Liz: Do you mean you try to reduce your tax liabil...Liz: Do you mean you try to reduce your tax liabilities in any legitimate way you can come up with?Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-31620542185357471172013-06-07T19:24:18.096+01:002013-06-07T19:24:18.096+01:00I would hope I'd be like you - and have gone t...I would hope I'd be like you - and have gone to great lengths to correct mistakes in my favour - but I wonder. As Husband pointed out, we too pay as little tax as possible by using the system.Liz Hindshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04646532093872561703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-17530755112389055092013-06-07T17:21:17.231+01:002013-06-07T17:21:17.231+01:00Jenny: The tax issue is a thorny one. Yes, I feel ...Jenny: The tax issue is a thorny one. Yes, I feel I should pay whatever taxes are levied from me as part of the social contract. But no, I don't want my taxes to be wasted on all sorts of unethical, inefficient and stupid schemes. But we have little choice about where our money goes.Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-67197095051416828862013-06-07T17:18:07.778+01:002013-06-07T17:18:07.778+01:00Hi Mike! Excellent point about the pervasiveness o...Hi Mike! Excellent point about the pervasiveness of the social media, internet, cameras etc, and the increasing chance that someone will catch you out.<br /><br />I break speed limits all the time, but on a very familiar route where I can judge the possible danger and I know where the speed cameras are. And I've only had one speeding ticket in around the same time period!<br /><br />Oh yes, there are certain things I did in the past that I would never disclose as well.Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-6698909966667087942013-06-07T15:18:51.948+01:002013-06-07T15:18:51.948+01:00I reckon we are most of us more corruptible than w...I reckon we are most of us more corruptible than we think, at least when it comes to taxes. I do not want to pay more tax than I need, even though I agree with social justice. The reason is that I don't really trust the govt not to waste it on some idiot scheme like that computer system for the NHS that cost billions, or aid given for political reasons that they know full well goes into the pockets of corrupt dictators.Jenny Woolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16881781466502273314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-52753549503083724662013-06-07T14:45:04.154+01:002013-06-07T14:45:04.154+01:00Hi Nick -- I prefer to act on the side of caution....Hi Nick -- I prefer to act on the side of caution. I, too, like to think that I'm honest and decent. <br /><br />Most of that is because of the values I learned as a child. Some, though, is simply self-defense.<br /><br />I'm not going to do anything that would land me in jail or get me fired if caught. I'm not going to play the game of "what if I knew I wouldn't get caught." With technology advances and changes in society (social media, internet, etc.), getting away with the unethical seems harder and harder. Security cameras and personal cameras are pervasive -- and tinier -- and people share what they snap. You can't make the assumption that someone isn't going to figure it out. <br /><br />When I'm working, I don't take office supplies. I'm not going to say that it has never happened. It's just that for some stuff, -- pens and post-it notes, for example -- I prefer my own rather than what's stored in the supply closet. <br /><br />I don't ignore speed limits -- I just limit myself to no more than 10% over the limit and often -- gasp -- drive at or below the limit. Just 2 speeding tickets in over 40 years of driving.<br /><br />On the other hand... a big box store neglected to charge me for a video recorder/player several years ago -- good for me, bad for them. <br /><br />So far as Roses' lessons from a step-father -- if I'd taken the examples of my step-father when I was a teen, I wouldn't be where I am today. I remember the time when we broke into ... oh, never mind. <br /><br />If I did something wrong or unethical, I would never talk about it or share it... ever.Mike Goadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01909276588431011926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467242994126386706.post-27489448457194746902013-06-07T13:45:55.367+01:002013-06-07T13:45:55.367+01:00Ursula: I agree with you about the extra-change sc...Ursula: I agree with you about the extra-change scenario - I wouldn't cheat the corner store but I would gladly cheat the big-name supermarket.<br /><br />I work in a one-person office, but I never take anything because it's a voluntary organisation and their budget is tight. As for the past, my lips are sealed....<br /><br />Would I rob a bank if I knew I wouldn't be caught? Yes, definitely. If the executives can walk away with obscene amounts of money, why shouldn't everyone else?Nicknoreply@blogger.com