Category: business ethics

時間の止まった警戒区域付近　南相馬市　CNNニュース2011年4月21日 (A trip into the “no-go” zone.)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

This is heartbreaking. How many times do you see this before you wonder why this kind of damage doesn’t seem important to the proponents of nuclear energy? I keep reading these guys. They keep talking about the low death toll of nuclear incidents. First, I doubt that the death toll at Chernobyl is anywhere close to the real number. Second, I find land being reduced to a dead zone closed to humans more than a little unsatisfactory.

But I have faith in the nuclear industry. They will come back with tons of PR, promises of safety and the hope of an economic miracle in some small hamlet desperate for jobs. They always come back.

James Pilant

Wife of Fukushima nuclear plant worker: Waiting and worried (CBS News)

On By southwerkIn business ethics3 Comments

You have to watch a commercial before you can see the video.

I’m not entirely happy with the news story. Somehow we found an American angle to give drama to the story. We Don’t Need an American Angle. The Japanese are people and though they don’t appear to look like many American, I find the stories of the Japanese to be just as compelling. What is it with Americans? Can’t we look at other people and recognize their commonalites, their souls, minds, spirits, hopes, dreams, emotions,.. Don’t we get it. We are all the same in the importance of our stories.

James Pilant

The Malcontent (via A Lonely Philosopher)

On By southwerkIn business ethics1 Comment

This is angry. This is a non-conformist, a deviant, doesn’t play well with others, etc. etc.

Fantastic, I loved every syllable. In a world where the obscenity of “emotional intelligence” is taken seriously, it’s wonderful to hear some intelligent resistance!

To the gallant author, “Write your book. I’ll buy a copy, maybe three or four and you are a philosopher in my book, any day.”

Keep up the struggle, You are not alone.

James Pilant

The Malcontent ‘If you would be free, then, do not wish to have, or avoid, things that other people control, because then you must serve as their slave.’ (Epictetus) An employer once told me that I don’t ‘sell myself’ enough, to which I replied that I don’t sell myself at all. Of practical necessity my labour is available for hire for around forty hours a week: the best hours of my life, the hours that run on to my grave. But I am most definitely not for sale. … Read More

via A Lonely Philosopher

Discarded (via marcelgomessweden)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

Art and mood. A story in a picture.

(There is a lot of amazing pictures on this site!)

JP

Discarded I must be honest, i´m surprised how terribly easily forgotten i am. … Read More

via marcelgomessweden

Who will stand up for the public interest, not just the major telecommunications companies? (via Ritajasper’s Blog)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

I ask that question every day. Who stands for the public? Who stands for the middle class? Does anybody care?

This is a post directed at Canadian issues in terms of the details but once past the details the problems are world wide. Are we going to allow the new powers of technology to be cash cows for a rapacious corporate mind set? Are we going to be a bunch of proles, peons and sheep, managed like cattle being fed while these huge organizations decide whether or not our material is seen?

I read all the time that these companies have a right to make these charges, to regulate bandwidth – – corporate freedom? That’s a comedy concept. People are what’s important. The right of an organization to make a profit is overborne by the possibilities of human happiness, human welfare and political rights. Whatever our wacky supreme court decides, corporations should have no more rights than any other political concept, that is, none. Corporations are already well protected because the people who run and own them have human and political rights which they are in no way shy about exerting.

It’s time to organize and fight. It time to stop this nonsense of corporate sentience.

Humans are important, not giant collections of cash.

James Pilant

Jack said “I have heard from thousands of Canadians who tell me that internet access and cell phone affordability are critical issues for them. Please know that New Democrats recognize the importance of these issues in today’s rapidly changing society. The following are highlights from our 2011 election plan: – We will prohibit all forms of usage-based billing (UBB) by Internet Service Providers (ISPs); – We will unlock cells phones, allowing con … Read More

via Ritajasper’s Blog

Another Successful Foreclosure Fraud Happy Hour (via Foreclosure Fraud – Fighting Foreclosure Fraud by Sharing the Knowledge)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

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

Another Successful Foreclosure Fraud Happy Hour Picture of some of the guests at our latest happy hour. Had another great time. We all wore “Hello My Name Is” stickers. Funny thing, almost everybody there was named Linda Green! It really confused the bartenders, they didn’t know which tab to ring the drinks under… Over the weekend I will be posting the history of all of our happy hours and how you can get them going in your town. I want to see this happen in every city every month until the … Read More

via Foreclosure Fraud – Fighting Foreclosure Fraud by Sharing the Knowledge

Organisations as Corporate Citizens (via Johan’s Lean Leadership Blog)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

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

Organisations as Corporate Citizens Who can it be now?Who is staring back at me?If Corporate citizens step in to fulfill Government’s role (facilitate civil, social and political rights) what happens when it no longer serves their self-interest and the activities lose their appeal due to a below-average return of social investment? Is there any real immediate sanction to prevent this de-vestment from occurring apart from consumer activism? Is it strong enough to prevent corporation … Read More

via Johan’s Lean Leadership Blog

The Undead: Life Sciences and Pulp Fiction (via Science. Technology. Ethics. Art. Media. Culture)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

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

The Undead: Life Sciences and Pulp Fiction cf. Director Prof Andy Miah will make two interventions at this remarkable event in Hamburg from May 12-14. The congress is unlike any other and will take place in film sets, which will be shot as scenarios, as though in a movie. Produced by the remarkable Mobile Academy, funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation in cooperation with Kampnagel Internationale Kulturfabrik and Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. 12 May TRAN … Read More

via Science. Technology. Ethics. Art. Media. Culture

Day 63: THE HALF-YEAR OF LIVING SELFISHLY (via The Apostate Scientist Blog)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

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

Day 63: THE HALF-YEAR OF LIVING SELFISHLY Freedom – you know it when you’ve got it and you know it when you haven’t. It’s an experience and has nothing to do with any observable circumstances. Take Hugh Lofting’s character, Dr Doolittle, for instance: desperate for the freedom to write, he threw a brick through a bank window and got himself put in prison. Interestingly, the animals who had been badgering him for help and dogging his footsteps and generally preventing him from writing bur … Read More

via The Apostate Scientist Blog

TEPCO: The Cat’s on the Roof (via Crooks and Liars)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

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!)