Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

[tintin]

Sumatra

A whiner?

Well, sticks and stones may break my bones but names will only hurt my feelings.
Methinks I'm paddling too hard against a current too swift to ever make any progress. Alas, tis' often the way of humanity and the primary reason why we won't make the next evolutionary corner, jumping the rails we'll plow headlong into the oblivion of extinction.
But..I'm gonna have a little fun in the sun before I go, no matter who I have to bribe.

That's too deep for me. But if I were you, I wouldn't stay too long in the sun...

[SG]

Corruption on the other hand, is caused by greed and fueled by opportunity, it's very directed and purposeful in nature.

And has to have an illegal aspect to it, not just morally objectionable..hence the fees on your house and such really don't qualify as such as much as they might bridle (and as a property owner elsewhere in the western world I understand that completely).

[Sumatra]

I understand that comepletely

So, you do understand that a dog is a dog, a horse is a horse, right is right, wrong is wrong and corruption is corruption whether legislated into being right or perpetrated outside the law?

Sumatra

[don]

I formerely knew a lady in Bandung who earned her living as an agent for foreigners purchasing textiles. Her income was quite good by Indonesian standards while her husband earned about 200,000rp. per month as a clerk for the government. He was willing to earn this low salary for years while looking forward to the day when through promotion he would eventually be in a position where his signature would be required on some document. At that future time he would be able to sell that signature. If some one were to gain premission to have or do something requiring his signature his income would rise exponentially.
This is endemic to the political culture in Indonesia, and despite the current crackdown will require a total house cleaning and adaption of a new system to change.
Those of us who have been here any length of time know that this is the case and those that refute it have motives for doing so beyond my understanding.
Has anyone ever travelled throughout the country and stayed in hotels and not wondered how in the hell could such a supposedly poor country afford to be constantly housing and feed ing government employees? Are all those meetings and banquets necessary or just part of the culture?
Don

[SG]

I understand that comepletely

So, you do understand that a dog is a dog, a horse is a horse, right is right, wrong is wrong and corruption is corruption whether legislated into being right or perpetrated outside the law?

Sumatra

No but I understand that you are happily comparing apples with oranges without being able to work out the difference.

There needs to be an illegal aspect to it to be defined as corruption.
http://www.anticorruption.info/corr_def.htm

It's not that hard....

[Sumatra]

It's not that hard....

You're right, it's not that hard.

Wrong is wrong. Just because generations of wealthy bastards have managed to velcro corruption to law, doesn't make it any less wrong. Firstly they perpetrate corruption while at the same time, creating legislation to cover their arses and make it look right, by the letter of the law. Aren't you familiar with the saying "Two wrongs don't make a right."?

Sumatra

[SG]

It's not that hard....

You're right, it's not that hard.

Wrong is wrong. Just because generations of wealthy bastards have managed to velcro corruption to law, doesn't make it any less wrong. Firstly they perpetrate corruption while at the same time, creating legislation to cover their arses and make it look right, by the letter of the law. Aren't you familiar with the saying "Two wrongs don't make a right."?

Sumatra

Now you seem to be tossing conspiracy theories and generalisations into the mix. "Weathy bastards" have conspired to cover up corrupt practices..is that just a few "weathy bastards", or all of them?

[BaliLife]

Sumatra - give up buddy. You don't like it? Go live in Cuba - and see if life's any better when you truly can't own anything and no opportunity exists.

I've never heard anybody whine so much about taxes in the US - my god, any Australian, Canadian or European who understands how little tax Americans pay would be laughing their arses off after reading your posts.

You, like anyone have the opportunity to invest in property and profit from home ownership - sometimes the tides go your way and sometimes they don't. If you got in at the wrong time and are now feeling the pinch, it's unfortunate, but it's no-one's fault - it's just the way of the world. If you didn't want to carry the risk of losing equity through home ownership, then you shouldn't have bought a home.

Ct

[Sumatra]

Is that just a few "wealthy bastard's", or all of them?

It's all inclusive, those who actively participate in corruption and those who could make a positive difference but choose to look the other way. Over 5,000 US troops have died in the current Iraqi debacle but miraculously, no children of congressional representatives (535) have gone down. For that matter, none of their children bit the bullet in Kuwait either. They all get cushy stateside assignments or, go on hiatus in Canada of all places. These are the same people who pass unjust law at 1:30am, while we're sleeping (THE USA PATRIOT ACT)
It's a matter of public record, not a conspiracy theory.
Balilife, Cuba? Talk about comparing apples to oranges. Australians, Canadians and Europeans lost their opportunity to fight back against government corruption and now you're all living in a socialist hell because of it. I'm just extremely disappointed that my fellow americans are quickly losing their opportunity to fight back as well.

Sumatra

[SG]

Is that just a few "wealthy bastard's", or all of them?

It's all inclusive, those who actively participate in corruption and those who could make a positive difference but choose to look the other way. Over 5,000 US troops have died in the current Iraqi debacle but miraculously, no children of congressional representatives (535) have gone down. For that matter, none of their children bit the bullet in Kuwait either. They all get cushy stateside assignments or, go on hiatus in Canada of all places. These are the same people who pass unjust law at 1:30am, while we're sleeping (THE USA PATRIOT ACT)
It's a matter of public record, not a conspiracy theory.

See there you go, you are making some progress towards the correct definition of corruption as accepted by every English dictionary I can find listed online. If those Congressmen and women used undue influence to prevent to their offspring from serving in Iraq where some 4118 (not 5000) Us service folk have died, then that is corruption, but your earlier uses could well be regarded as a corruption of the language itself.

As to whether all 'wealthy bastards' are responsible, I'd like to suggest in the politest way that perhaps you have wee chip on your shoulder. I know plenty of 'wealthy bastards' that are neither corrupt nor grossly dishonest.

[Sumatra]

undue influence

This undue influence is pervasive and it's not just used to keep their kids from catching a bullet. If a certain law doesn't fit into their scheming machinations, they'll simply abolish it, change it or, create a new one that's more to their liking, while still keeping themselves above board in a legal aspect.
You know every wealthy person over there and stateside as well? Wow, I'm surprised I haven't seen your face on the cover of "People" magazine. In 12 years of apprehending suspects for theft, I've collared at least 25 of them toting several different forms of ID., sporting their faces but accompanied by different names. Walking false ID factories.
If I bagged 25 of them playing this game, there's at least 250,000 I missed. Just because you claim to know many of the "well-heeled" it doesn't mean you know them all.
Maybe, it's time for everyone on this planet to "chip up" a bit and demand change, because what ever happens here and in China corruptionwise creates a ripple effect that causes a negative economic impact worldwide.

Sumatra

[SG]

undue influence

This undue influence is pervasive and it's not just used to keep their kids from catching a bullet. If a certain law doesn't fit into their scheming machinations, they'll simply abolish it, change it or, create a new one that's more to their liking, while still keeping themselves above board in a legal aspect.
You know every wealthy person over there and stateside as well? Wow, I'm surprised I haven't seen your face on the cover of "People" magazine. In 12 years of apprehending suspects for theft, I've collared at least 25 of them toting several different forms of ID., sporting their faces but accompanied by different names. Walking false ID factories.
If I bagged 25 of them playing this game, there's at least 250,000 I missed. Just because you claim to know many of the "well-heeled" it doesn't mean you know them all.
Maybe, it's time for everyone on this planet to "chip up" a bit and demand change, because what ever happens here and in China corruptionwise creates a ripple effect that causes a negative economic impact worldwide.

Sumatra

You are not actually making a hell of a lot of sense now..sorry, and you clearly don't read or follow what others are saying. I don't deal in silly wild swings at an undefined "them" which I guess includes anyone who you feel badly done by.

Either way your posts seem to be degenerating into trolling and I can't be bothered trying to re-state the obvious over and over again.

[BaliLife]

Sumatra - I think SG has been very nice to you. Very nice and very patient.

Australians, Canadians and Europeans lost their opportunity to fight back against government corruption and now you're all living in a socialist hell because of it.

You've bashed every aspect of capitalism over the head and now you're referring to 'socialist hell'? Which way does the gate swing for you? Going off your dialogue with SG, I don't have my hopes up about getting any kind of rational response - you can't even grasp the simplest of concepts.

Keep smiling..

Ct

[Sumatra]

Ok, I capitulate. Perhaps having so much experience dealing with the lowest common denominator on a daily basis has somewhat tainted my objectivity, when it comes to discussing the topic of corruption.
It's clearly evident that what I've dealt with over the years routinely, as compared to what your own experiences have been are quite different and are most probably worlds apart. If my posts have raised anyone's ire or offended in any way, I do apologize.
I only came here hoping to socialize and went off on a rant instead.

Does anyone know of any good inland freshwater fishing areas?


Sumatra

[tintin]

Sumatra,

Just curious: are you a US citizen? Regardless, how long have you lived in the US?

Does anyone know of any good inland freshwater fishing areas?

Where? In Boston? In Bali? In Sumatra?

[Sumatra]

Inland fishing in Bali of course. What species of fish inhabit the inland ponds and streams?
Are they edible or, are they poisoned with a high mercury content, as they are here in the states? I'm and avid fisherman, casting whenever an opportunity presents itself. I carry fishing gear in my trunk all summer long.
By the by, I'm a lifelong resident of the United States, my wife is Indonesian. She turned me on to Balipod, sometimes she posts and sometimes I will, sorry for the confusion.

Sumatra