Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Rods2 on 16 July 2012, 00:46:51
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Is the world getting more corrupt?
Libor, now commodity markets are going under the microscope. French politics and politicians have always had a reputation for being corrupt. Should Lagarde be head of the IMF and is it healthy for this to be dominated by French politicians?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fuel/9401934/Was-the-petrol-price-rigged-too.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fuel/9401934/Was-the-petrol-price-rigged-too.html)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nicolas-sarkozy/9401446/Christine-Lagarde-and-Nicolas-Sarkozy-embroiled-in-new-corruption-inquiry.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nicolas-sarkozy/9401446/Christine-Lagarde-and-Nicolas-Sarkozy-embroiled-in-new-corruption-inquiry.html)
If you think it is, in what areas do you think it is increasing?
Personally I think it is getting much worse in this country with politicians promoting their friends into the Lords, Quangos and EU positions, their relationship with the news media especially News Corp., their relationships with the banksters, the city of London and large companies which has led to crony capitalism spreading. I also think the EU has had a massive negative effect of transparency at all levels.
Many European countries are dropping down in the Corruption Index including the UK. >:( >:( >:(
What needs to be done to reduce corruption?
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Take Albs approach. Line them up against a wall!
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Yes it is.
What can be done about it? Very little. I read the other day that Italy had had EU money for road building in the "Mafia" run South. Most of the money was syphoned off into the Mafias bank accts. However the EU said where are the roads we paid for? And demanded and got back the (I think) 300 million euros. Of course the Italian taxpayer paid that not the Mafia. Hollow victory.
Very hard to turn the clock back to the age of decency. Corruption or "making a fast buck without actually doing an honest days work" is sadly a way of life and is applauded in a lot of companies.
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I wonder if theres any way of limiting contribution to certain threads to people who have an I.Q. in at least double figures ? :-\ :)
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Very hard to turn the clock back to the age of decency. Corruption or "making a fast buck without actually doing an honest days work" is sadly a way of life and is applauded in a lot of companies.
Indeed. To breed a politician/banker/official who is not corrupt you have to start with a decent person with a moral compass that will guide him to always do the right thing, and I reckon our problem is there, TBH. :(
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I wonder if theres any way of limiting contribution to certain threads to people who have an I.Q. in at least double figures ? :-\ :)
...and shoot them in front of their family's. :)
Or is politics reserved for the politics clique Albs. ;D
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The prosecution rests. ;) ;D
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Yes it is.
What can be done about it? Very little. I read the other day that Italy had had EU money for road building in the "Mafia" run South. Most of the money was syphoned off into the Mafias bank accts. However the EU said where are the roads we paid for? And demanded and got back the (I think) 300 million euros. Of course the Italian taxpayer paid that not the Mafia. Hollow victory.
Very hard to turn the clock back to the age of decency. Corruption or "making a fast buck without actually doing an honest days work" is sadly a way of life and is applauded in a lot of companies.
what you expect .. their prime minster was a "mafia" not long ago.. ;D but dont know why I loved his high "interest" for women ;D ;D
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I wonder if theres any way of limiting contribution to certain threads to people who have an I.Q. in at least double figures ? :-\ :)
;D ;D ;D :y
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Is the world getting more corrupt?
Libor, now commodity markets are going under the microscope. French politics and politicians have always had a reputation for being corrupt. Should Lagarde be head of the IMF and is it healthy for this to be dominated by French politicians?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fuel/9401934/Was-the-petrol-price-rigged-too.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fuel/9401934/Was-the-petrol-price-rigged-too.html)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nicolas-sarkozy/9401446/Christine-Lagarde-and-Nicolas-Sarkozy-embroiled-in-new-corruption-inquiry.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nicolas-sarkozy/9401446/Christine-Lagarde-and-Nicolas-Sarkozy-embroiled-in-new-corruption-inquiry.html)
If you think it is, in what areas do you think it is increasing?
Personally I think it is getting much worse in this country with politicians promoting their friends into the Lords, Quangos and EU positions, their relationship with the news media especially News Corp., their relationships with the banksters, the city of London and large companies which has led to crony capitalism spreading. I also think the EU has had a massive negative effect of transparency at all levels.
Many European countries are dropping down in the Corruption Index including the UK. >:( >:( >:(
What needs to be done to reduce corruption?
I think its not only limited to EU countries Rods :-\
I can say most of the world countries :( including mine.. but imo, money and power erodes moral values more quick than anything..
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The british stiff upper lip and sence of fair play went out of the window years ago.
At the end of the day, where there is money, there is gread.
And the more money you have to play with .................... ;)
Nowdays, its a case of I'm alright jack ............... the rest can f**k off :(
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I wonder if theres any way of limiting contribution to certain threads to people who have an I.Q. in at least double figures ? :-\ :)
Well, that's me oppsed then - cheers Bitz! :(
I wonder what view my sponsor takes of this insult?
(http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/Catdracula/imagesCA9RX5NG.jpg)
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I wonder if theres any way of limiting contribution to certain threads to people who have an I.Q. in at least double figures ? :-\ :)
And yours is ?? ??? ??? ;D ;D
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I see corruption (an undoubted feature of modern day life) as being made much easier to practice due to how we now live in this technologically connected, materialistic world.
Of course the stain of corruption has always been on the hands oh humanity - its been part of the human condition (a disappointing part sadly) since time immemorial - but it is only now, through the immediacy of communications and the availability of sophisticated technology, we see how corrupt behaviour – especially as practiced by those in authority – can allow catastrophic consequences to develop (intended or not) the results of which can have a devastating effect on not only individuals but on nations.
To ask what can be done about it is to pose an almost unanswerable question (I say almost as there usually is an answer to be found to any problem should a sufficient number of open minds combine to seek it) as, in this interconnected world, the ready availability to see how others live, what access they have to materialistic things, to hear them declare their opinion or simply to see how they behave is sufficient for many to be motivated, sometimes without thinking, into trying to achieve the same (perceived) benefits they observe - whether or not crimes (moral or otherwise) have to be committed or sharp practices engaged upon the assist in the realisation of their desires.
Taking the point of the OP, should we look towards political corruption, or corruption in public life, the answer to fight it may be easier to find, but it does not necessarily lie in the wholesale sacking of parliament or civil institutions – it may well be easy to rid ourselves of those we consider to be corrupt or useless and to redress any imbalances in evidence but, should any such action be taken without very clear alternatives being already in place, then we can only but invite trouble, as chaos will always prosper in a political/civil vacuum.
I believe the means to tackle corrupt behaviour in public life already exists in many of the institutions we have a habit of criticising – we simply need effective regulation to be used (without fear or favour) to bring people, groups and institutions into line.
Needless to say had we an effective, independent, fearless and dedicated print/broadcast media the task would be much easier to address as there is a very real need for searching questions to be asked – and continue to be asked – until such times as answers are found which indicate whether or not the problem being examined is being dealt with properly to the point of resolution. Without that facility, there seems to be a tendency for many of those people who seek to lead us or have influence in the institutions of the nation, to take the chance and resort to practices many of which will eventually fall far short of being either acceptable or honest.
The opening shot of my campaign would therefore be the establishment of a capable media outlet charged with asking real, practical and well researched questions and setting a course to garner interest across the social strata of this country through quality and dedicated investigative reporting – the larger the motivated group demonstrating their concerns about this as a result, the more weigh their opinions will carry.
Nothing will happen until people get off their arses and start putting pen to paper to actively ask those questions and, more importantly, nothing will ever change until those very same people begin to think about the practical realities of life, on a national level, and leave the faff to the mouth-breathers, content to accept whatever comes their way – as long as it requires a zero amount of effort to deal with it or understand it.
Eyethangyewall. :-* :-* :-*
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Spain has some great examples of corruption that everyone knows about.
Mr Rato(former Bankia chairman) and the missing millions at Bankia, the bank now being bailed out by EU money.
Most councils that cashed in in every respect on the recent housing boom. You want to build a house. Fine how much will it cost , pay us 3% of the total cost for legal permission and off you go. Don't worry that it is in a protected area or or rural land Mr contractor here pay us some more money in an envelope and it will be fine. Now the Andaliucia county council come along and say thousands (maybe 50,000) homes are illegal and have to come down. Of course no one has the time or money to pursue this through the courts though they did famously knock the Priors house down so there is an uneasy truce except the owners cannot ever sell. As to the Priors, well they have won a court case for compensation BUT the mayor is no longer the mayor and in any case is bankrupt. I wonder if any of the 1000's of officials involved in that corruption sleep at night?
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Spain has some great examples of corruption that everyone knows about.
Mr Rato(former Bankia chairman) and the missing millions at Bankia, the bank now being bailed out by EU money.
Most councils that cashed in in every respect on the recent housing boom. You want to build a house. Fine how much will it cost , pay us 3% of the total cost for legal permission and off you go. Don't worry that it is in a protected area or or rural land Mr contractor here pay us some more money in an envelope and it will be fine. Now the Andaliucia county council come along and say thousands (maybe 50,000) homes are illegal and have to come down. Of course no one has the time or money to pursue this through the courts though they did famously knock the Priors house down so there is an uneasy truce except the owners cannot ever sell. As to the Priors, well they have won a court case for compensation BUT the mayor is no longer the mayor and in any case is bankrupt. I wonder if any of the 1000's of officials involved in that corruption sleep at night?
Very soundly I expect! >:( The old saying " I slept like a bastard last night " rings true.... >:( >:( >:(
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Can we play nicely please?
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Can we play nicely please?
Yes! :y
That's exactly what those corrupt officials say as they trouser those brown envelopes!! ::) ;)
Sorry TB! :-[
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Can we play nicely please?
Yes! :y
That's exactly what those corrupt officials say as they trouser those brown envelopes!! ::) ;)
Sorry TB! :-[
I'm sure one or 2 here will think I'm corrupt (more accurately, unfair on the way I treat some). So where are my brown envelopes?
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See Nickbat's thread 'Filthy, but funny'..... Plenty of brown stuff there!! :)