These are some great people. They took up a public fight on a major issue before the media or the government recognized the problem. In fact, the government and the press denied there was a problem. These people are heroes, using the power of the internet as visionaries have hoped.
I wish them well!!
James Pilant
via Foreclosure Fraud – Fighting Foreclosure Fraud by Sharing the Knowledge
Mini-governments, privately run and profit motivated, may not be the best way to organize a society. There are too many competing motives for the public good to be first. In fact, for a profit seeking organization public good may mean a diminishment of profit.
After all, isn’t the modern idea of salesmanship the creation of needs followed by the necessity of purchase to solve the created problem?
I like the ideas here.
James Pilant
The idea that humankind could take control of evolution at this point in history is one I find compelling. The idea of the transhuman, a composite human of flesh and technology is soon to be a reality although the idea of cybernetic Koch Brothers reminds me of Dawn of the Dead without the comedy.
In the future, the mad billionaire will have incredible power to physically self manipulate while the proles will live brief painful lives of servitude to the technological demi-gods. I would hope for better but our society is a road map for the wealthy to manipulate and cheat their way out of social responsibility.
The world of the transhuman self proclaimed John Gaults may be our future, –
Ayn Rand’s cult of selfishness enshrined is a technological hell of demi-gods and worshipers.
James Pilant
Thinking allowed. Not just allowed but expected. A delicious site.
I had a good time with this entry. I don’t totally agree which is, of course, a matter of little concern in these things. I do not hold myself as the ultimate authority of much and philosophy is definitely not something I have as strong a grasp as I should.
Good web site – Read!!
James Pilant
Susie Madrak wrote this for the web site, Crooks and Liars. It’s not only clever, it’s how I feel about it. Everyday I think TEPCO is going to fall off the roof but somehow that cat survives another day.
James Pilant
Remember that old joke about the guy who went on vacation and left his brother home to watch his cat? The cat fell off the roof and died. When the brother called to ask how his cat was, his brother said, “I’m sorry to tell you that your cat just died.”
The brother was really upset and said, “You don’t just come out and say something like that. You should have prepared me. You could have said, ‘The cat’s on the roof, I’ve called the fire department, we’re trying to get him down’. That’s how you prepare someone for bad news: something like that.”
Then he asked his brother, “By the way, how’s mom?”
“She’s on the roof…” (Read it all!)
This video certainly gives one a postive view of the Indian press. That was a tough interview, the type we rarely see here in the United States. It appears that many players are in motion. I am sadly deficient in my knowledge of who the players are, but I’m catching up.
James Pilant
I noticed watching the interview that the English was easy for me to understand. I’m doubtful that Indians could understand much of my English.
“Fearing that the might not see their home for months,” talk about optimistic! Radiation does not leave in a few months. They are not going home. Maybe in years. Maybe.
James Pilant
Japan sealed off a wide area around a radiation-spewing nuclear power plant on Friday to prevent tens of thousands of residents from sneaking back to the homes they quickly evacuated, some with little more than a credit card and the clothes on their backs.
Fearing they might not see their homes again for months, evacuees raced into the deserted towns Thursday before the ban took effect to grab whatever belongings they could cram into their cars.
“This is our last chance, but we aren’t going to stay long. We are just getting what we need and getting out,” said Kiyoshi Kitajima, an X-ray technician, who dashed to his hospital in Futaba, a town next door to the plant, to collect equipment before the order took effect at midnight.
The same sad story over and over again. The bank says no problem, sets up a trial period and then forecloses. It’s a trap.
The post says the family “claims” they were duped.
“Claims,” yeah right, we’ve seen this technique over and over again. The bank literally takes the property legally by manipulating the families into a “trial” period, which they will then (to no one’s surprise) find the deal inadequate and then foreclose.
For cruelty and cold blooded maliciousness, it would be hard to find worse.
James Pilant
via CBS Chicago
One of my regrets is I don’t talk as much about workplace bullying as much as I should. It’s a controversial area with some claiming it doesn’t exist.
I’ve seen it. I don’t like it. We as a nation should do something about it. Legislation is necessary to address the issue.
I admire David Yamada and his blog and, in particular, his wilingness to keep going in a difficult struggle.
Please read this and subcribe to David’s blog.
James Pilant
1986 was a difficult year for the world. In January the United States saw the explosion of the space shuttle, Challenger during lift off. Then in April a man made disaster of epic proportions was triggered that rocked the then Soviet Union in Russia which affected the world as a result of the explosion of nuclear reactor #4 at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine.
I remember this accident vividly even though I was only 10 years old. The true reality of the extent of the damage wasn’t fully known for some time due to the censorship of the Communist Party of the USSR but now 22 years later the true story is finally being told.
And just yesterday I discovered a stellar, brilliant documentary (viewable at the bottom of this post) that compiles all the information known up to the present regarding the Chernobyl nightmare. It is beyond sobering but a must view due to the current push to build more nuclear reactors in the face of global warming and the current oil crisis. (Click here to see the rest.)
Pilant's Business Ethics Blog 
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