Category: ethics

Living for Less in the City of Dublin (via homophilosophicus) [5]

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

The long term social effects of the crisis on the individual are discussed here.

(I received direct permission to reblog all of these posts from the period of the crisis.)

James Pilant

Living for Less in the City of Dublin It is important now more than ever that we discover ways of living for less. Primarily due to the scarcity of money in Ireland at the moment, and secondarily because we must do everything in our power to pay less tax to a government which is stealing from us. As things stand at the present we are tied by law into a social contract which demands that we pay our taxes to the state; taxes which enable this government to overpay its members whilst en … Read More

via homophilosophicus

Solidarity is the Key to the Survival of this Community (via homophilosophicus) [4]

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

This is Homophilosophicus’ theme to the crisis, his take on the moral of the story.

James Pilant

Solidarity is the Key to the Survival of this Community Already the signs of social destruction are visible and audible on the streets of Dublin, and no doubt the same throughout the country. Stress has taken its toll on the national psyche to the extent that the integrity of the fabric of our society has been seriously undermined. As the weather worsens, and people grow ever more impatient of the cold and snow which has compounded the dire economic conditions, the tension is beginning to show on face … Read More

via homophilosophicus

Irish Press Wages War on the Irish People (via homophilosophicus) [3]

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

This entry is eye witness to one of the demonstrations. I particularly liked this one.

James Pilant

Irish Press Wages War on the Irish People The saying, attributed to Thomas Jefferson, that ‘the man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers,’ is as true a maxim today as it was in the eighteenth century. As the tensions on the ground in Dublin have reached fever pitch over the government’s austerity measures it has become clear that the wheels of the media are invariably driven by pro-government agendas. Various reports of demonstrations … Read More

via homophilosophicus

News in Brief: Such a Lot of Rogues in a Nation (via homophilosophicus) [2}

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

The Irish Crisis. Homophilosophicus explains the unjust nature of the agreement saddling Ireland with debt for years to come. (I’ve reblogged this one before, but I want them all in order.)
It is very rare to see blogging on site in the middle of a crisis. This is good reading.

James Pilant

News in Brief: Such a Lot of Rogues in a Nation On Sunday 28th November 2010 the Fianna Fáil government of Ireland, which now governs without the mandate of the electorate, signed a contract with the International Monetary Fund which guarantees a crippling debt burden for the Irish taxpayer to bailout the financial institutions of this country. The government entered into such negotiations with the European Central Bank and the IMF in secret whilst denying the fact to the people of Ireland. Ev … Read More

via homophilosophicus

The Failure Of The Thanksgiving Opt Out Of Invasive Searches At Airports

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

I was disappointed by the results of the big “opt out.” The administration seemed on the verge of caving. So, did the airlines. They fear the public anger but seldom does that fear produce action and this was no exception.

The next invasion of privacy and dignity will occur with even less difficulty after the success of this one.

Supporters will shout “Why should you object if you haven’t done anything wrong?” That is not an American founding principle.

Power will be abused. That is the nature of power. There are few limitations now. We no longer know what information the government has or seeks. Where will it end? I am not a supporter of “slippery slope” arguments save in very special circumstances. I think this is one of them.

Read Rogue Columnist’s take on the situation.
From Rogue Columnist –

Unlike previous generations of Americans, we are largely an easily commanded people, rather like the Germans or Russians of old. Decades ago, Americans genially agreed to be drug-tested in order to get or keep a job, even though this “guilty until proven innocent” technique is of dubious constitutionality. We submit to hundreds of new national security agencies sucking at the taxpayer trough, not least one with the queasily un-American name of “the Department of Homeland Security.” Nary a peep about this in the land of the free and home of the brave. We meekly wait in lines, not least those at the airport. It’s difficult to imagine the World War II generation submitting to pat-downs, much less those that tamed/stole the frontier. But neither have the swindles of the banksters, widespread economic distress and the rule of the fatcats produced the protests of an older America. No, give us a Kinect or an iPad, a call-center cubicle and an H.R. rulebook, and we’re as happy as a baby with a pacifier.

He’s angry. I am too.

What’s to be done? I don’t know.

James Pilant

Garda Special Branch Agents Provocateurs (via homophilosophicus)

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

This is serious stuff. Homophilosophicus is on the front lines in the Irish debt crisis. That means on the street. That takes guts. He is blogging regularly. I would like you to go and read his stuff as long as the crisis continues. He has very kindly given me permission to reblog his writings. I’ve just sent a further request to reblog all his posts while the crisis is ongoing.
This is stuff that will never see in the media. This is very close to the events as they are happening. You should read this. These opportunities do not come often.

James Pilant

Garda Special Branch Agents Provocateurs Earlier this afternoon, Friday 3rd December 2010, two uniformed members of An Garda Síochána from the Bridewell Garda Station, were observed and overheard whilst clothes shopping in Penney's department store on O'Connell Street, Dublin. Both were male officers and were purchasing hooded sweatshirts and sweatpants, carelessly discussing their undercover work at the upcoming budget day protest (Tuesday 7th December) at Leinster House, the seat of D … Read More

via homophilosophicus

So hard to blog these days… (via Corruptions)

On By southwerkIn business ethics, ethics, Government Failure

I discovered this blog while looking for business ethics sites. He’s an author of a book called “Corruptions.” It all looks fascinating. There are two reasons to read the blog. One is that he is in the middle of the beginning of selling the book, signings and so forth. For the budding author out there, I’m sure this will be fascinating. The second reason is that this guy has a good grasp on politics and that is always welcome.

James Pilant

The flood of political advertisements on television and radio, combined with the nonstop "analysis" of the races, is making my head spin. So much of the analysis is just supporters of the right or left spouting gibberish about how well their side is doing or how horrible the other side is. And so much of the advertising — like the Sharron Angle ad about how Harry Reid wants to give Viagra to sex offenders — is such shameless drivel and so  disg … Read More

via Corruptions

Gift Card Hidden Fees

On By southwerkIn business ethics, ethics

From CBS Money Watch –

You might think that new gift card rules have made the holiday shopping season safe for those wanting to give plastic rather than presents, but you’d be wrong. New rules limit hidden fees on “gift” cards, but if you call your plastic a “prepaid” card, none of the new rules apply.

More than 30 reloadable debit cards geared to teens are being launched in the first week of December, just in time for the holiday rush, according to the New York Times. These teen-oriented cards, like the just-cancelled Kardashian Kard, can charge outrageous fees with impunity.

How high are the fees? The Kardashian Kard broke all previous records, charging a minimum of $99 for one-year’s use. But other cards have a plethora of hidden fees that can eat up the value of the plastic in no time.

Look guys, they have these things called checks, money orders and cash. If you give those, people can choose what they want to buy.

Some cards are regulated by the government. Some for all intents and purposes are not.

You have to read the contract.

In most cases, for most things, it doesn’t matter what the contract says, when you upgrade software and host of other things, you sign or nothing.

This is not one of those.

You have to read the contract.

Annual fees of 99 dollars on a gift card is ridiculous and if you didn’t read the print, you’ll be paying that if you buy the wrong card at the wrong place.

Have some good holidays! Don’t get stolen from! The crooks and scum are hunting you like so many rabbits.

James Pilant

Carl Sagan Explains The Pre-Socratic Philosophers

On By southwerkIn ethics2 Comments

I am old, fifty-four currently. I am of the generation when the PBS program Cosmos aired. It was a privilege to listen to Carl Sagan and a great pain to lose him so young. In this short segment from the program, Sagan explains the contribution of the Pre-Socratic philosophers. I had no recollection of this piece and its power of thought and implications are striking.

James Pilant

Don’t Expect To See The Tata Nano Car Any Time Soon

On By southwerkIn business ethics, ethics4 Comments

The Tata Nano car is one of the cheapest automobiles ever developed. In India, the price was reported to be equivalent to about 2500 American dollars. It is supposed to be introduced in the United States in the next two years.

However sales have dropped 85% in India since last year.

You see there have been a number of unexplained fires like the one above.

It has dampened enthusiasm for the vehicle considerably.

The U.S. model was to have cost more than double the Indian price because of the cost of meeting American safety standards. Perhaps those standards would have prevented this kind of incident but we may never know.

James Pilant