A Total Lack of Ethics

It would be easy to blame Stephen Harper, or even George W. Bush, but truth is, they are simply products of today’s total lack of ethics in our society. You see it in Grocery stores that willingly sell expired food ( at a discount ) all to make money. You see it in how Governments ignore the will of the people, such as when Victoria Council opted for a new sports arena, that went against the voted upon plan by Citizens.

You see it in how taxes get added, without any consultation with the people, even though an election is in mid swing. You see it in how we move to interfere in foreign countries, all in order to secure oil rights, for the Oil Industry.

We see it in changes to the banking system, where they can hide default loans, as not being a liability, if they don’t put into collection through a third party. You can see it in how the big Cable companies want to limit downloads, when it literally costs them pennies in cost, while they increase their fees to the subscriber.

So who is to blame for this lack of ethics in our world, and when did it happen?

I seriously wonder if mankind isn’t heading towards some melt down, as we keep pushing the line of making money, at any cost. Drugs are put into the market, long before they are ready for use. Side Effects are unknown, but they are marketed as being the next wonder drug for whatever it is that ails you.

And that too, has become a whole industry. I mean, is there really something like A,D,D,?  Or is it something the drug companies came up with, that Doctors went along with, for a slice of the pie?

Hell, don’t get me started on Viagra. I mean really, what the fuck does some 20 something need with a pill that gets him hard? Surely at that age, he can manage without help, and if not, is it because of some disease, or dysfunction, or is it simply that he’s not attracted to the other person?

Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Life to Get Interesting

Back in the days, it was letters to the editor, that brought citizen complaints to the attention of others. Today we live in a remarkable world, where we have the Internet. Not always a safe place, not always a nice place, but despite all that, it is a place where one can tilt at windmills, and raise their voices.

Time I started doing that, because you know, it is embedded in my heritage, and in how I was raised.  Simply put, it is also the right thing to do.

Staying silent, or meekly accepting things, because it is too hard to ‘Fight City Hall’ just won’t cut it. Not if one truly believes in their values, their principles. You can’t always compromise, though one tries, but when the other side is unwilling to even listen, then perhaps it is time they were made to listen?

The Internet helps in that, and this is going to be my crusade.

Mom is 92, and with her failing health, comes medical crisises, and yet many who are entrusted to look after sick people, are only concerned with one thing. HOW MUCH MONEY THEY CAN GET and to hell with the patient.

THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME.

Sarah Palin Quits

Not news to many now, that the Governor of Alaska has announced her resignation from the top post. The running mate to John McCain has decided it is better to work outside of Government, to effect change, than to stay in it. Uh huh, and Ice Cream is made from Moon Dust.

“Rather, we know we can effect positive change outside government at this moment in time, on another scale, and actually make a difference for our priorities.” ( CBC News )

In her resignation, she talked about wasting taxpayer money, and time. Well, here she is, leaving her office with two years to go in her term, and tell me how that is saving money? To me, that is ROBBING the people who actually voted for Ms. Palin, and basically, telling them they aren’t worthy of her time.

She has ambitions, does our Sarah, the darling of the Religious Right Zealots, who put the Republican Party into shambles. What she is really doing, is cozying up to them, to garner their support for her bid to be the nominee in 2012. If she was anywhere near to being an honest person, she would simply have stated that, instead of the typical political double talk.

It is scary to think, that people like her and Mitt Romney ever got elected to anything, never mind Governor of a state. Hard to imagine that people who are so devious, so arrogant and vile, could hold office, but they have. Now Alaska can see, just what they elected. A power hungry woman, who has no respect for them, or their votes, never mind their values.

Many who consider themselves religious, belief she is a good role model. Now, I don’t know, but what kind of role model is it, that seeks people’s support for a job, gets it, then shoves it back in their faces, when they see an opportunity for personal advancement? Not what I’d call  a role model, now would you?

If you belief in that kind of stuff, of people being role models, then Ms. Palin is on of the worst choices one could make. To simply quit, because she can maybe do better for her own political fortunes by doing so, is not inspiring for young people. She talks a great deal about that, about how young people are not being given good role models, not being taught good values.

SO WHAT DOES HER QUITING SAY ABOUT HER VALUES?

Tried & True no longer valid.

Have you noticed lately, at how quickly society changes? Not just the population explosion, or the way new products reach market, but in the values, ethics, of people who really should know better. I mean even 60 & 70 year olds, are allowing their values to change, to be altered, which really makes me wonder, about people.

Like take Pride in Your Work.

I grew up with it being drilled into me, that one did the very best they could, for the pay being given. Even if I thought, for some egotistical moment, that I was worth a lot more than what I was being paid, I still was supposed to deliver the very best work, for that money.

Sure, I had options, like quiting, or asking for more money. In most cases, when one approached a boss, and calmly laid out what they were doing, why they believed it was worth a bit more, the raise seemed to come.

Now we expect the Government to give us a raise, by increasing the minimum wage amounts, and we go out on strike, demanding more money for the work we do. We threaten, like the Teacher’s Union here in BC, that says PAY US MORE MONEY & WE’LL HAVE LESS KIDS WHO CAN’T READ OR WRITE OR ADD. 

I mean, isn’t that what we are already paying them to do, yet for some reason, more kids are coming out of High School, functionally ILLITERATE.  Like how is that being proud of one’s job?

Seriously, I had one person tell me they were a College Graduate & knew how to add, yet they couldn’t figure out that if you have an opening credit balance of $100, buy $400 worth of stuff, return $300.00 that you owe nothing. Instead she kept insisting I owed $50.  Now, it is simple math, and that is the quality of our graduates?

No wonder people like George Bush & Stephen Harper get elected. No one voting for them, is able to understand simple math and would rather be scared into accepting their position, would rather be told who to blame, , than in actually having the problems solved.

Insider Trading on Loonie

I wonder about those in the financial markets, the traders who really, seem to be the one’s we should be thinking about investigating. I mean it is them, who have caused the roller coaster ride that Oil Prices have taken, and now it seems, they are using insider information, or leaked information, to further feather their nest eggs, at the expense of the public, as usual.

A sharp early rise in the currency prompted Statistics Canada to investigate whether its data may have leaked before being officially released at 7 a.m. ET on Friday.

The loonie spiked by almost three-quarters of a cent in thin trading during the hour before the release. A spokesman said the agency was examining its procedures. ( source – CBC News )

I really wonder about humanity, especially these days. Like how the US Congress made it easier for people to take advantage of those who were being foreclosed, and others. I mean the list keeps on growing, like AIG and let us not forget GM or how about the banks?

Seriously, when are we going to put an end to this greed trading, that has helped, if not at the root, of the world’s economic chaos? I mean, these traders spike the price of oil up, make their profits, then let it drop. The Oil Companies raise the prices immediately, then take eons to drop the price, a few pennies, never quite getting it back to the previous levels. Yet we allow it, we encourage it even.

Our Leaders do nothing, like Flaherty who makes it sound, like well gee, he wasn’t told about it, so it couldn’t be important. Like, someone MAY have gotten insider info, so they could make money on the currency market, and it isn’t important to him? NO WONDER WE ARE IN TROUBLE!

What is about those who end up in leadership positions? How do they sleep at night, when they know it is wrong to gouge people, to steal from them, even if it is legal?

WHATEVER REALLY HAPPEND TO OUR ETHICS, MORALITY, PRINCIPLES?