Heads Gone - The Peppino Impastato Memorial Thread

[Cosmic Joe]

2 hours ago, virginton said:

Another fascinating work of fiction from the forum's resident wet wipe. 

Ah. I must have missed your contributions in the Ukrainian thread recently. 

Deepest, sincere apologies 

[Tight minge]

12 hours ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Did you have to compensate people in all those countries?

Yup, for various real and fictitious crimes and general legal needs. You can add Bulgaria for a speeding fine as well. 
Central and Eastern Europe was highly corrupt pre-EU and it’s just common place for most South East Asian countries.

Edited December 11, 2022 by Tight minge

[welshbairn]

12 hours ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Did you have to compensate people in all those countries?

It's a handy way of cutting down on taxpayer funded police wages and all those expensive lawyers and judges. Everybody wins, unless you're innocent or a genuine victim.

Edited December 11, 2022 by welshbairn

[Shotgun]

2 hours ago, welshbairn said:

It's a handy way of cutting down on taxpayer funded police wages and all those expensive lawyers and judges. Everybody wins, unless you're innocent or a genuine victim.

In developing countries, government employees are very badly paid and rely on bribes to supplement their income. The locals accept this as a fact of life but we call it corruption, which is a bad thing.
In the United States, service industry employees are very badly paid and rely on tips to supplement their income. The locals accept this as a fact of life and we call it capitalism, which is a good thing.

(That same post got me banned from a local Facebook page.)

[Tight minge]

16 minutes ago, Shotgun said:

In developing countries, government employees are very badly paid and rely on bribes to supplement their income. The locals accept this as a fact of life but we call it corruption, which is a bad thing.
In the United States, service industry employees are very badly paid and rely on tips to supplement their income. The locals accept this as a fact of life and we call it capitalism, which is a good thing.

(That same post got me banned from a local Facebook page.)

A big bit of a simplification in my opinion, but has some truth and certainly shouldn’t have got you banned.

Certainly low level Police/wardens/officials in these countries are supplementing their income and for me a lot of the fines have related to real or fictitious driving fines, it’s easy to spot a foreigner on a motorbike.

However, a lot of the corruption is coming at a mid to high level of officialdom where they are getting rich. Barangay and Ketua Kampung chiefs are getting their cut from everything, marriage licences, building planning, local disputes, etc. These people are not supplementing their income, but getting very rich.

The higher level of politics is purely about greed and is a much worse state of affairs. For a fee you can do about anything, if you know the right people.

 

 

[supermik]

6 hours ago, Tight John McVeigh is a tit said:

. For a fee you can do about anything, if you know the right people.

 

 

If only Gary Glitter had paid the local "tax" he could have still been the Leader of the Gang… 

[Sergeant Wilson]

In my service of this country, no-one ever offered me a bribe. I'd have jumped at it. Money, gifts, sexual favours,  anything will be considered.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Sergeant Wilson

[hk blues]

8 hours ago, Tight John McVeigh is a tit said:

A big bit of a simplification in my opinion, but has some truth and certainly shouldn’t have got you banned.

Certainly low level Police/wardens/officials in these countries are supplementing their income and for me a lot of the fines have related to real or fictitious driving fines, it’s easy to spot a foreigner on a motorbike.

However, a lot of the corruption is coming at a mid to high level of officialdom where they are getting rich. Barangay and Ketua Kampung chiefs are getting their cut from everything, marriage licences, building planning, local disputes, etc. These people are not supplementing their income, but getting very rich.

The higher level of politics is purely about greed and is a much worse state of affairs. For a fee you can do about anything, if you know the right people.

 

 

Indeed.

I've never driven here and have yet to experience the requirement to "grease some palms".  I don't think the 2 are unrelated.

I'd also add that many folk here are their own worse enemy when it comes to corruption.  They actively look for ways to buck the system when there is no need to and happily pay a few bucks to do so and feel they are getting one up on the next guy.  A classic example was during the Covid vaccination programme where folk would jump the queue to get their vaccine just a few days before everyone else and then proudly post it on social media being as foolish as they can be here.  If you're looking to hand over some cash to someone for nothing there will always be someone willing to take it.

 

[The Other Foot]

13 hours ago, Cosmic Joe said:

Ah. I must have missed your contributions in the Ukrainian thread recently. 

Deepest, sincere apologies 

 

You're both wrong. 

@virginton hasn't been on the Ukrainian thread since it became clear his boys were being systematically annihilated by the Ukrainian army. 

[scottsdad]

The closest I ever came to getting bribed was when I was in the civil service. I was trying to by some lab equipment.

A sales rep came along to our lab, and innocently enough asked if I wanted to see the machine I was considering being built. I said sure, that might be nice.

"Great. The facility is in Switzerland. We'll pay for everything. Why not bring the family and make a weekend of it? We'll put you all up in a nice hotel..." and so on. To this day I regret not saying yes. Sure, I might have got the sack, but I would have seen Switzerland.

[hk blues]

18 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

. Sure, I might have got the sack, but I would have seen Switzerland.

What's the upside in that scenario? 

[scottsdad]

12 minutes ago, hk blues said:

What's the upside in that scenario? 

I would have visited Switzerland, the home of chocolate.

[Bigmouth Strikes Again]

1 minute ago, scottsdad said:

I would have visited Switzerland, the home of chocolate.

Some nice watches as well.

Thank you.

[Tight minge]

1 hour ago, hk blues said:

Indeed.

I've never driven here and have yet to experience the requirement to "grease some palms".  I don't think the 2 are unrelated.

I'd also add that many folk here are their own worse enemy when it comes to corruption.  They actively look for ways to buck the system when there is no need to and happily pay a few bucks to do so and feel they are getting one up on the next guy.  A classic example was during the Covid vaccination programme where folk would jump the queue to get their vaccine just a few days before everyone else and then proudly post it on social media being as foolish as they can be here.  If you're looking to hand over some cash to someone for nothing there will always be someone willing to take it.

 

Driving and contributing a ‘foreigner tax’ go hand in hand. I always carry my cash separate from my wallet when driving so I never need to pay anything. With no money there isn’t much they can do. Not conversing in English nor the local language also helps.

In several countries in South East Asia, corruption and bribery is endemic as you say and I have suffered and I have also been guilty of ‘abusing’ it. I have bought several driving licences and other permits but also had guns drawn on me and other threats for not ‘playing the game’.

I have also been in a relatively similar spot as SlipperyP is right now and fortunately managed to avoid any issues, but could have easily went the other way.

 

 

 

 

 

[coprolite]

1 hour ago, scottsdad said:

I would have visited Switzerland, the home of chocolate.

It’s all a con. They say that toblerone looks like the Alps but that’s a load of rubbish. They’re just like our mountains but bigger. Not chocolatey at all. 

[welshbairn]

 

[hk blues]

18 hours ago, Tight John McVeigh is a tit said:

Driving and contributing a ‘foreigner tax’ go hand in hand. I always carry my cash separate from my wallet when driving so I never need to pay anything. With no money there isn’t much they can do. Not conversing in English nor the local language also helps.

In several countries in South East Asia, corruption and bribery is endemic as you say and I have suffered and I have also been guilty of ‘abusing’ it. I have bought several driving licences and other permits but also had guns drawn on me and other threats for not ‘playing the game’.

I have also been in a relatively similar spot as SlipperyP is right now and fortunately managed to avoid any issues, but could have easily went the other way.

 

 

 

 

 

F**k that s**t!  I keep my head down and bother nobody and nobody bothers me.  Of course, that may not always be possible, especially if work is involved but I'm not in that boat, luckily.  And, as I don't drive as I said, the easy target isn't on my back as much.  

Also, I'm not in either of the 3 big cities so the level of corruption is dialled down a good bit anyway.  

[Tight minge]

1 hour ago, hk blues said:

F**k that s**t!  I keep my head down and bother nobody and nobody bothers me.  Of course, that may not always be possible, especially if work is involved but I'm not in that boat, luckily.  And, as I don't drive as I said, the easy target isn't on my back as much.  

Also, I'm not in either of the 3 big cities so the level of corruption is dialled down a good bit anyway.  

Yes, the more severe issues revolved around work, a kind of unavoidable in certain places. The one similar to SlipperyP was my own stupidity. The rest revolved mostly around  driving.

A friend in The Philippines used to pop into the Barangay hall every month with some beers or some cakes to keep on the good side and always got everything he needed.

Its always best to be the smaller person and stay well out the road.

 

 

[hk blues]

37 minutes ago, Tight John McVeigh is a tit said:

Yes, the more severe issues revolved around work, a kind of unavoidable in certain places. The one similar to SlipperyP was my own stupidity. The rest revolved mostly around  driving.

A friend in The Philippines used to pop into the Barangay hall every month with some beers or some cakes to keep on the good side and always got everything he needed.

Its always best to be the smaller person and stay well out the road.

 

 

Literally in the case of the Philippines! 

[SweeperDee]

On 10/12/2022 at 17:16, virginton said:

Another complete minter for WeeperDee. 

Fucking hell man, you really are an historian with that patter. Shame your complete lack of interpersonal/social skills prohibits you from actually using your “knowledge”.