Category: business ethics

Not All Pirates Are in Somalia (via Off the Top o’ My Head)

On By southwerkIn business ethics1 Comment

This is some great writing. Many people are upset by the enormous salaries that CEO’s are pulling down and have conveyed their rage online. But few have explained the mechanics of the corporate system that make these salaries possible.

I visited “Off the Top o’ My Head.” I was impressed by the writing. This is a thoughtful author and he brings legal elements into his reasoning but not too much. The writing is very approachable. You should give this site a visit.

This is his business page.

James Pilant

General Electric Co. made news last month when it reported U.S. profits of $5.1 billion and worldwide profits of $14.2 billion, but paid no federal corporate income tax. GE even reaped a net tax benefit of $3.2 billion. What the newsies do not mention is that the government additionally subsidized the ridiculous wealth GE and other corporations lavish on their executives. Uncle Sam must miss a lot of sleep staying up nights to figure out how to p … Read More

via Off the Top o My Head

mea culpa? (via hbd* chick)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

The idea of the rational man has always been a bit of an exaggeration. However, it has been a useful idea. The American court system often rest on the idea of the “reasonable man.” And that idea has functioned well incorporating contemporary social beliefs informally into the legal system.

The idea of the rational buyer has permeated American economics. It has bizarre elements. For instance, it assumes that buyers make rational decisions even in the face of advertising. It assumes that buyers recalculate safety risks to maintain the same level of safety, etc. It also is useful, but mainly for protecting business from criticism.

It would be extremely difficult to develop a criminal justice system that takes a perpetrator’s reasoning into consideration. But that it is difficult does not mean it should be done. It would add depth and power to punishment and social control.

It needs development, but I think it can be done.

James Pilant

great article in the telegraph: “The human brain: turning our minds to the law” “Our understanding of the way the brain works could help us create a better legal system, says neuroscientist David Eagleman…. “The problem is that the law rests on two assumptions that are charitable, but demonstrably false. The first is that people are practical reasoners, which is the law’s way of saying that they are capable of acting in alignment with their b … Read More

via hbd* chick

Melting of Japan Plant’s Fuel Rods Confirmed (via MidnightWatcher’s Blogspot)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

I’m not surprised. The radiation released was too high to have been caused otherwise. I’m curious but I don’t want to find out what would happen in a full melt down. We can extrapolate from the current events that it would be a cataclysm. We didn’t miss it by much.

James Pilant

Melting of Japan Plants Fuel Rods Confirmed DAVID McNEILL – “SCIENTISTS SAY the fight to bring Japan’s crippled nuclear power plant under control could take three months or more, even if not hampered by further earthquakes. The announcement comes after another day of aftershocks, including one with an epicentre about 25km from the Fukushima plant. The head of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan, Takashi Sawada, said yesterday that fuel rods in reactors 1 and 3 have melted and settled at the … Read More

via MidnightWatchers Blogspot

Pet rescuers brave Fukushima danger zone

On By southwerkIn business ethics

It is increasingly clear that pet safety has to be part of any disaster planning. These pet owners thought they would only be gone for a day. But now they live in gymnasiums and schools – and they are not ever going home. They thought their pets would be alright for a day but that day has become eternity.

James Pilant

Native American Code of Ethics (via theshywitch)

On By southwerkIn business ethics2 Comments

I never saw this before. Quite an elegant set of ideas. Read and enjoy!

James Pilant

I recently found this on Stumbleupon and really loved it. The words resonated with me. I had to share this. Native American Code Of Ethics Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray often. The Great Spirit will listen, if you only speak. ~ Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit, anger, jealousy and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will find guidance. ~ Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others … Read More

via theshywitch

Abandoned Cattle Lay Dead and Dying Near Fukushima – April 10, 2011 – Sad :(

On By southwerkIn business ethics1 Comment

One of the realities of nuclear power. But don’t worry, soon a pundit will explain to you in a new editorial that a nuclear disaster only inflicts radiation equivalent to a few chest x-rays and we should be very comfortable with the industry.

It’s a funny thing. I don’t even like cattle. On the other hand, I never contemplated starving them to death either.

James Pilant

Arnie Gunderson The Real Fukushima Information

On By southwerkIn business ethics

I originally was very cautious about Arnie Gunderson and his once every two days video posting discussing the developments at the Fukushima nuclear plants. But as time has gone by, I have been pleased with his reporting. I have seen nothing that has contradicted any factual assertions on his posts. So, I’m pleased to recommend his latest report.

James Pilant

Temperatures rise at No.4 spent fuel storage pool

On By southwerkIn business ethics

It seems every couple of days I get to write about some new problem at the Fukushima plants. It’s like a Keystone Kops movie without the laughs. I can’t help but believe that the nuclear industry is suffering a massive public relations failure not just due to the initial disaster but more because of the constant pounding repetition of disaster after disaster, problem after problem. It is a richlydeserved pain. We were assured by the industry that these things could not happen. Those statements were lies.

Japan’s Nuclear Meltdown-Like Watching A Head On Crash In Slow Motion (via Pobept’s World View)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

It is obvious we have some outrage here. It is also obvious that is entirely merited by the utilities and government of Japan.

The author makes good points and as you are probably aware I am a great fan of outrage.

James Pilant

Evacuees demand better/more from Japanese nuclear plant operator Everyday nuclear reactors inch closer to total meltdown. Now rated as being equal to the 1986 Russian, Chernobyl reactor melt down. Rated as a 7 the highest level on an international scale overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency after new assessments of radiation leaks from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant plant reactor. Operator of the stricken facility appears to be … Read More

via Pobept’s World View

#CSR the biggest and most dynamic corporate function of 21st Century (via Jayaribcm’s Blog)

On By southwerkIn business ethics3 Comments

Jayaribcm’s Blog discusses the problems with corruption in India. In this post he discusses the corruption of elections. As I have said before, corruption is not an Indian problem, it a worldwide phenomenon from which the United States is in no way immune. While they fight the fight there, we need to fight our struggle here.

However, there is a particularly disturbing element to the story of election fixing. American officials with the State Department were aware of the purchase of votes in a controversial piece of legislation on a nuclear deal with the United States back in 2008.

Since the United States did not share the information of the bribery and the U.S. benefited from it, there is bound to be suspicion of involvement in the bribery or that there may have been other wrong doing possibly involving the United States.

James Pilant

This is a significant article about election fixing as it is done in India. In the United States we fix elections by removing the poor and minorities from the election rolls on the grounds of non-existent election fraud. It’s the same game and just as evil.

Please take some time and read the whole thing.

From Jayaribcm's Blog

Around the same time when the children were meditating upon for a better world, the villagers were bombarded with blaring music and speech announcing why only one candidate would be the most suitable person for the ensuing election on April 13, 2011 for the Tamil Nadu Legislature. Meagre sum the villagers manage to get, surely is not sufficient for them to survive and when they are offered some few currencies in exchange of their vote they hesitate but agree. The gullible villagers are bribed and then are administered oath on milk, their livelihood they promise upon not to vote to any other candidate, lest… The present government run by DMK is notorious to have brought this system of bribing, in the last bye-election at a place called Thirumangalam near Madurai successfully that they were emboldened to apply the same logic to all other places of Tamil Nadu. The money they could spend is indeed enormous for they spearheaded the movement of corruption leading to one of their party members, a senior cabinet member of the Government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh now imprisoned at Tihar jail, is directly involved in the biggest graft in the world known as 2G scam. This time the Chief Election Commissioner of India Querishi had put a break to the distribution of money to the voters in a state-wide tough measures that had taken the ruling party by surprise & shock that the leader of the ruling party Karunanidhi was forced to say that it was a mini-emergency in Tamil Nadu declared by the Election Commissioner. The voters however keep their fingers crossed, for there’s an inherent fear about the Electronic Voting Machine [EVM], during its stay under lock & key before the results are announced on 13th May 2011, is most likely to be tampered with a remote control device favoring the ruling alliance of DMK & Congress.