Tag: humor

Another Example of the Cruelty Being the Point

On By southwerkIn business ethics

https://www.yahoo.com/news/critics-slam-ex-trump-wh-053453611.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ex-trump-aide-slammed-evil-142918279.html

An example of a man admitting committing a crime. Most unusual.

Recently some Republicans have been making news by denying children food benefits, rolling back child labor laws, killing their pet (more on this later) and just general cruelty. Apparently in the strange world of Republican politics the more mean and cruel an act is – the more political points it is worth.

Today’s example of cruelty just for points come from a fellow named John McEntee, who has posted a video of himself bragging about his acts of cruelty. Let me quote from the first article referenced above:

“So I always keep this fake Hollywood money in my car so when a homeless person asks for money, then I give him like a fake $5 bill, so I feel good about myself, they feel good,” said McEntee in a clip with the caption “Just a joke. Everyone calm down #fyp.” “And then, when they go to use it, they get arrested so I’m actually like helping clean up the community. You know, getting them off the street.”

You may note that Mr. McEntee says this is just a joke, and everyone should calm down. I write about ethics and morality and I am not calming down. Apparently he thinks that passing counterfeit money is funny, that homelessness is funny, that abusing homeless people is funny and that jailing homeless people is funny. Based on this video, I do not believe that the world of comedy has found any talent here.

Generally awful people doing awful things keep their acts to themselves and wisely so. Back when I was teaching college I warned my students the people broadcast who they were all the time, and that when someone admits or even worse brags about their evil or foolish acts, you should believe them. McEntee says it is just a joke. Really?

From the second article above:

Under federal statute 18 section 471, it is a federal crime to intently “defraud, falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, or alters any obligation or other security of the United States”. That includes currency, treasury notes, reserve notes and more.

So, what do you think? Is this crime funny? Did you laugh or are you like me appalled at this pitiful disgusting conduct?

James Alan Pilant

Tow Truck Tries to Seize Moving Car in Serious Ethical Breach!

On By southwerkIn business ethics1 Comment

https://autos.yahoo.com/tow-truck-attempts-pick-occupied-131500868.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13294269/san-francisco-towing-lamborghini-specialty-towing.html

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/tow-truck-video-san-francisco-19396392.php

Generally speaking I always considered the tow truck business to be mundane under most circumstances. Apparently with a certain creative (and probably illegal) license, you can make it a very interesting business indeed.

A few days ago in San Francisco, a tow truck attempted to possess (seize, steal, catch, lay hands on,… ?) a vehicle at a stop light.

I have attached the video and several news stories. Here’s a quote from the Yahoo news article:

A Reddit user posted a video to r/sanfransisco showing a tow truck driver attempting to hook up and tow a vehicle in traffic. This isn’t some vehicle that was left abandoned by its owner, no, this is a vehicle being driven by someone sitting in traffic at an intersection waiting on a light to change. 

As for the towing company, here’s a quote from the “Daily Mail:”

The bright yellow tow truck, with the name ‘Specialty Towing’ plastered across it in lime green, was captured on video trying to snatch a silver Toyota sedan before the vehicles sped away. In February, Specialty Towing was suspended by San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu after the owners, Abigail Fuentes and Jose Badillo, were found to be claiming government handouts and scamming customers. The owners, described by the city attorney’s office as a couple with ‘a personal relationship’ and ‘multiple kids’, pocketed around $2million from their scams and used the money to buy a Lamborghini, documents said. 

From a business ethics standpoint, this is just pitiful, not only morally and legally wrong but aggressively foolish. It’s hard to even contemplate this level of stupidity. At the very least, they might have wound up being charged with car jacking, or kidnapping, as well as an amazing variety of traffic offenses. It is interesting that the the tow truck driver fled when he realized he was being filmed (according to one of the stories).

I suspect that the city, state or feds will find something to charge given the contents of the video. But we’ll see. I think justice has long been denied in regard to this company and it is absolutely time to remedy this.

James Alan Pilant

Volume 60: Wait A Minute… (via Sill-E Thoughts)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

Our author writes in his conclusion that –

I think the sensationalism fed to us on a 24-hour news cycle is starting to make us delusional. That’s the unintended side-effect of higher ratings. Good news turns of televisions. Good news doesn’t get discussed at the bars and water coolers across America. Good news doesn’t make us feel better because we don’t get to say, “At least my life is better than theirs.” There is a cliché regarding every person getting fifteen minutes of fame. I’d like to think that if we waited a minute, the remain fourteen could serve as a sane example for others to imitate.

I like it. I have said similar things. I call for critical thinking and less television watching. I tell my students that there are better things to do with their time and almost all maintain their mass media habits in spite of my earnest protests.

I wish the author well and hope to see more of his work. Please read the whole thing.

James Pilant

Volume 60: Wait A Minute... I need a favor from those of you that have been following my blog since it began (like my girl Cool V). I need for you to explain to my growing list of new readers that, from time to time, I cut through the introspective niceties, get real, and go off. THIS is one of those times. Honestly, I didn’t know I was going to write this blog until I was talking with my wife last night. I was telling her a couple of incredible stories about people who too … Read More

via Sill-E Thoughts

Do No Harm — my UU sermon from May 1, 2010 (via Ironicschmoozer’s Weblog)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

In the last three generations of my family, there have been a good number of ministers. Of course, my family were Free Will Baptists and not Unitarians. (There is a lot more certainty in the sermons of the Baptists.)

I don’t attend church much anymore but I still like sermons. This gentleman has put one of his up as a post. It’s well written, choppy tight paragraphs, messages that seem to go in different directions but tie up like little bows into the big message by the end, and a couple of good personal stories to round it out.

I like what he has to say, I believe in ethics and morality. In the field of doing the right thing, the best move is often to do nothing at all, thus, do no harm. It’s a good topic.

James Pilant

Do No Harm Sunday, May 1, 2011 Unitarian Universalist Society Sacramento, CA Hymns: 126, 21, 162. Music:  “Trouble,” Coldplay; sung by Eric Stetson Reading  “To Be of Use,” a poem by Marge Piercy, from Circles on the Water Shared Offering: Turning Point Community Programs:  A Path to Mental Health Do No Harm.  What does this mean? This world is full of harm and woe.  We human beings feel it, and cause it, at a staggering level.  Modern-day slaver … Read More

via Ironicschmoozer’s Weblog