Monthly Archives: July 2011

Comment of the Day: “Scent Branding, Mind-Control, and Ethics”

Elizabeth was the first one to dive into this murky, interesting, science fiction/ “Brave New World” issue that I examined in “Scent Branding, Mind-Control, and Ethics,” on a topic that confused me more the longer I considered it. What resulted was unusually long, perhaps accounting for the lack of comments, and Elizabeth’s reaction is long as well, but worth reading. Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Business & Commercial, Comment of the Day, Daily Life, Environment, Gender and Sex, Health and Medicine, History, Research and Scholarship, Science & Technology, U.S. Society, Workplace

Ethics Hero: Ameneh Bahrami

The story of Banrani’s insistence on the full retribution available to her under Islamic law had spurred human rights protests around the globe. In the end, with all of Iran watching on live television, she decided on mercy instead of revenge. Continue reading

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Filed under Around the World, Ethics Heroes, Gender and Sex, Law & Law Enforcement, Religion and Philosophy, Romance and Relationships

Scent Branding, Mind-Control, and Ethics

There are lots of ethical issues involved in assessing the practice of scent branding. Analyzing them, however, requires an open mind, at least at the outset. Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Business & Commercial, Environment, Gender and Sex, Health and Medicine, Law & Law Enforcement, Literature, Love, Popular Culture, Professions, Research and Scholarship, Romance and Relationships, Science & Technology, The Internet, U.S. Society

Fick* of the Month: Tea Party Congressman Joe Walsh

Freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill) is a vocal Tea Party champion dedicated to fiscal responsibility, meeting obligations, protecting the future for our children, and living within our means. How does he reconcile these values with the fact that he owes $117,437 in child support to his ex-wife and three children? Continue reading

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Filed under Family, Government & Politics, Incompetent Elected Officials, Leadership, Professions

Ethics Quote of the Week: Washigton Post Reader Elizabeth Grover

It is undoubtedly settled—for now, at least— that abortions are legal in the United States, and that a woman has a right to choose abortion within certain limitations. It is not at all settled that aborting viable children in the womb is right or ethical, or even appropriately legal. Washington Post reader Elizabeth Grover flagged the paper slanting a difficult issue away from ethics. Continue reading

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Filed under Bioethics, Citizenship, Ethics Quotes, Family, Gender and Sex, Government & Politics, Health and Medicine, Journalism & Media, Law & Law Enforcement, Professions, Religion and Philosophy, Research and Scholarship, U.S. Society

Cats, Kids, and Caretakers’ Betrayals

Perhaps most enraging of all unethical conduct are blatant breaches of trust by a person who has accepted the significant responsibility of protecting and caring for a life in need, whether it is a child, an aged parent, someone who is sick or disabled, or an animal companion. Here are three stories in this sad vein… Continue reading

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Filed under Animals, Around the World, Family, Law & Law Enforcement

Ethics Hero: Meat Loaf

His voice may have diminished greatly over the years, but Meat Loaf, always more ham than hamburger, truly loves performing, and it shows. And his determination to give an audience everything it paid for and more is what makes professional performing about love and integrity rather than money. Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Ethics Heroes, Popular Culture, Professions

Ethics and the Right to Truck Nutz

Truck Nutz are a…decoration?… favored by people whose sense of humor runs to loud farts, burps and titty-twisters, whose favorite films are the “Jackass” series and Farrelly brothers movies, whose idea of the perfect woman is Pamela Anderson, and whose idea of a genius is Howard Stern. And they are apparently illegal in South Carolina. Continue reading

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Filed under Citizenship, Education, Etiquette and manners, Humor and Satire, Law & Law Enforcement, U.S. Society

Ethics Dunce: Larry Flynt

Larry Flynt announced on Nancy Grace’s show last night that talks are ongoing with Casey Anthony to have her nude and tattooed bod featured in Hustler magazine for $500,000 up front plus 10% of all profits. Wonderful. Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Business & Commercial, Ethics Dunces, Gender and Sex, Journalism & Media, Law & Law Enforcement, Popular Culture, U.S. Society

Robert E. Lee and the Abuse of Principle

Lee: His life is a warning, not an inspiration.

As both political parties and the President of the United States seem to be determined to subject the American people, economy and standing in the world to disaster in the defense of principles, it might be a good time to reflect on the fact that principles detached from reality have little value, and that rigidly adhering to principles to the detriment of the community and civilization is not a virtue. Continue reading

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Filed under Government & Politics, History, Leadership, Research and Scholarship, U.S. Society, War and the Military