While quite true, this assumes your player is TRYING to be a bastard, in which case nothing you can do, short of hit them with a book, with stop them!
Why must everyone assume that players are all out to get their DMs and that it's a Cold War between DM and Player?
(Note: Not ranting at you, Saph, just the prevailing thought, please don't take it that I'm mad at you or anything)
EDIT: Yes, yes, this is probably some sort of fallacy, but really? Can we all realize that with a bit of sanity, these issues aren't that big of a deal? *sigh* I'm just frustrated with people being bastards to well-meaning DMs.