the cluelessness of the smaller banks
[discussing a financial scandal] Sir Desmond Glazebrook: They've broken the rules. Sir Humphrey: What, you mean the insider trading regulations? Sir Desmond Glazebrook: No. Sir Humphrey: Oh. Well, that's one relief. Sir Desmond Glazebrook: I mean of course they've broken those, but they've broken the basic, the basic rule of the City. Sir Humphrey: I didn't know there were any. Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Just the one. If you're incompetent you have to be honest, and if you're crooked you have to be clever. See, if you're honest, then when you make a pig's breakfast of things the chaps rally round and help you out. Sir Humphrey: If you're crooked? Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Well, if you're making good profits for them, chaps don't start asking questions; they're not stupid. Well, not that stupid. Sir Humphrey: So the ideal is a firm which is honest and clever. Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Yes. Let me know if you ever come across one, won't you.
Sir Desmond Glazebrook: They've broken the rules.
Sir Humphrey: What, you mean the insider trading regulations?
Sir Desmond Glazebrook: No.
Sir Humphrey: Oh. Well, that's one relief.
Sir Desmond Glazebrook: I mean of course they've broken those, but they've broken the basic, the basic rule of the City.
Sir Humphrey: I didn't know there were any.
Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Just the one. If you're incompetent you have to be honest, and if you're crooked you have to be clever. See, if you're honest, then when you make a pig's breakfast of things the chaps rally round and help you out.
Sir Humphrey: If you're crooked?
Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Well, if you're making good profits for them, chaps don't start asking questions; they're not stupid. Well, not that stupid.
Sir Humphrey: So the ideal is a firm which is honest and clever.
Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Yes. Let me know if you ever come across one, won't you.
How come the people in charge of these smaller banks are so stupid? In my naivety I thought you'd need certain skills and a rather sharp intellect to become in charge of a bank, even if it's relatively small.
You don't understand. This is America. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
