Forgive My Low Number of Posts Today, I’m Installing a New Printer.

On By southwerkIn business ethics

This might seem like a simple process but I installed my wife’s old machine and discovered the cartridges for a Brother MFC-465CN cost $24.95 for the black cartridge and $39.95 for the color cartridges. So, only needing black ink for a school task oriented printer, I paid $24.95 and tax, returned home and after a long difficult struggle through the rules and the FAQ  on the web site discovered you must have all the cartridges without any of them being empty to run the printer. So all I needed to do was go and buy the $39.95 color cartridges.

Thus I went back to the store and bought a new printer from Hewlett Packard after pricing the cartridges in advance. They are 14.95 for black and 19.95 for the colors.

For you guys at the Brother Company, I want you to understand that if you wait for my next purchase of your product, it might be some time, a very long time. My new printer cost less than your cartridges and it’s a wireless model.

For further stories and expressions of deep and abiding discontent, go to this site and enjoy.

What to do with the old Brother printer? I am considering breaking it up with a tree limb or a hammer or something like that and posting the process on the web. We’ll see what happens.

James Pilant

TIL You have to pay for your “right” to a trial by jury (via Intellectual Conversation – a lifelong memetic transfusion)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

I was not aware of this particular fee but I am not surprised. As municipalities and states lose revenue, they have to resort more and more to fees. This essentially makes everything from state parks to justice too expensive for many Americans. This trend is getting worse not better.

James Pilant

TIL You have to pay for your "right" to a trial by jury The entire judicial system in the USA is so skewed against the poor it is sickening. Falsely accused and want a trial by jury of twelve of your peers? That will be $250 in my local district court and that sickens me. Imagine asking a subsistence farmer to pay that kind of money vs a billionaire. It isn’t right to ask a poor person to forfeit several months worth of disposable income. Heck in India that is one tenth of your annual income – and I’m … Read More

via Intellectual Conversation – a lifelong memetic transfusion

Formation of a great nation is via education — character formation over the scores of ‘A’s (via Daring to Change)

On By southwerkIn business ethics4 Comments

I was very impressed by this article. It is a call for character formation as a priority for education. And a harsh criticism of a culture too often aimed only at monetary success. I find it eloquent and there is little in it that is not obvious from a moral or ethical view point. I wish the author well and hope he reaches a substantial audience.

James Pilant

    GREAT NATION =  Creative Quality of Skills + Moral Correctness                                         +Humility + Industriousness   I believe that the power of education is formidable. It shapes minds, thoughts and eventually all these will form a character. Devils or angels, I believe nurture does have certain impacts on a person. Hence I believe that education has at least a profound influence on a person upbringing This col … Read More

via Daring to Change

Japan Nuclear Crisis Arnie Gundersen 4/5/11 (via CNN)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

Mr. Gunderson is an expert I am increasingly relying on. He seems very knowledgeabe and his predictions have done well. I recommend this video.

James Pilant

Creating shared value – the new sustainability paradigm? (via On sustainability, csr and climate change)

On By southwerkIn business ethics1 Comment

One of the things about American business that drives me crazy is the myopic quarterly focus of many companies, particularly Wall Street firms with their bonus oriented goal setting. Short term thinking causew serious problems for long term investors and has in a good number of cases resulted in the destruction of the company. This is good business ethics writing and I hope this paradigm catches on and changes the way businesses think about profits and planning.

James Pilant

To most business-minded folks, the creating shared value (CSV) concept is nothing new. In short, as Michael Porter and Mark Kramer put it in a recent Harvard Business Review article, CSV is all about “value creation for business that simultaneously yields more profit and greater social impact, resulting in powerful transformations and opportunities for growth and innovation in both business and society.” It assumes that  companies create business … Read More

via On sustainability, csr and climate change

Japan Nuclear Crisis new threats 4/5/11 (via CNN)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

It is obvious these American findings were leaked by the experts because of the gravity of the threats. I’m not sure what the term, “mounting stresses” means, but I don’t like it. Once again, I am telling you I do not trust the Japanese utility, TEPCO, or the Japanese government. Their released information continually bears the imprint of corporate PR instead of useful information. I can’t help but think there are other problems not being discussed.

James Pilant

NYT obtains leaked NRC document revealing grave risks from Fukushima Daiichi reactors (via TheDailyBite’s Blog)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

Another likely set of problems for the Fukushima plants. This write is angry and has a satirical edge. I thought the writing was wonderful and particularly enjoyed the literary allusions.

Good writing merits reading. Try this web site out.

James Pilant

NYT obtains leaked NRC document revealing grave risks from Fukushima Daiichi reactors The New York Times obtained a confidential Nuclear Regulatory Committee (NRC) document that reveals that the runaway nuclear reactors in Fukushima, Japan are more of a menace than the lobby is telling us: U.S. Sees Array of New Threats at Japan’s Nuclear Plant By JAMES GLANZ and WILLIAM J. BROAD Published: April 5, … Read More

via TheDailyBite’s Blog

12 Ethical Principles for Educational Consultants (via Dr. Dore Frances PhD)

On By southwerkIn business ethics2 Comments

Business ethics is often a muddy field with many opposing points of view. I like this clear set of definitions. If the transnational entities followed anything like this, we would live in a different world.

James Pilant

As written by Dore E. Frances, Ph.D. Sometimes being compassionate is more ethical than keeping a rule Ethical values, translated into active language establishing standards or rules describing the kind of behavior an ethical person should and should not engage in, are ethical principles. The following list of principles join the characteristics and values that most people associate with ethical behavior. Ethical decision-making systematically co … Read More

via Dr. Dore Frances PhD

Does nuclear power have a negative learning curve? « Climate Progress (via Coral Gables Watch)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

A brief and intelligent analysis of nuclear power. It’s too expensive.

James Pilant

Does it make any sense to keep expanding nuclear energy in South Florida.  As a consumer you will end up paying for the accelerating costs of nuclear reactors, without doubt. Drawing on largely unknown public records, the paper reveals for the first time both absolute as well as yearly and specific reactor costs and their evolution over time. Its most significant finding is that even this most successful nuclear scale-up was characterized by a su … Read More

via Coral Gables Watch