Monthly Archives: July 2011

The Raymond Jefferson Mystery: Isn’t There Ethics Training for Obama Administration Officials?

Based on the sorry Raymond Jefferson scandal, I would assume that the answer to that question is: “What’s ethics training?” Sure, there are reams and reams of government ethics regulations; I’ve read a lot of them. Apparently there is no one making sure that high-ranking officials have read them or understand them, however. Continue reading

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Filed under U.S. Society

An Appropriate Limit on the First Amendment Right To Be A Total Jerk

Using one’s mouth to torture animals is not protected by the Constitution. Only a jerk would do it, and only a jerk would argue that it was. Continue reading

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Filed under Animals, Citizenship, Government & Politics, Law & Law Enforcement, The Internet, U.S. Society

Casey Anthony’s Lawyer is Pronounced Unethical By an Expert

Disbarred Florida lawyer Jack Thompson has complained about another lawyer’s incivility. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Continue reading

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Filed under Etiquette and manners, Law & Law Enforcement, Professions

Ethics Dunce: Central Bucks East High School

Administrators at Central Bucks East High School in Doylestown,Pennsylvania, have decided to reinstate suspended teacher Natalie Munroe, who had made it very clear in several blog posts discovered by the school and her students last February that she detested her job and a great many of her students and their parents, spewing diatribes that ridiculed specific students for their appearance, habits, speech and character. There is no justification for this. Continue reading

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Filed under Education, Ethics Dunces, Etiquette and manners, Family, Leadership, Professions, The Internet

Unethical Quote of the Week: WSJ Blogger James Taranto

A pure slime-job, this…well beneath Taranto’s standards, though he does dip low now and then, and as reprehensible an example of attack by unfair innuendo as you are likely to find, from McCarthy to Olbermann to Beck. Continue reading

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Filed under Government & Politics, Journalism & Media, The Internet, Unethical Blog Post, War and the Military

MSNBC Hires Al Sharpton, As “Network” Becomes Reality

If those archaic standards of credibility, integrity, honesty, fairness, and journalistic credentials are still in place, or if MSNBC wants to pretend that they are, then the hiring of Sharpton marks a new low in broadcast news coverage cynicism and recklessness. Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Business & Commercial, Government & Politics, Journalism & Media, Leadership, Popular Culture, Professions, Race, U.S. Society

Comment of the Day: “The Provocative T-Shirt Problem”

Rick Jones, whose excellent blog posts on ethics, academia, politics and life can be read at Curmudgeon Central, again delivers the Comment of the Day, on my post about the gay couple asked to hide an innocuous T-shirt message while visiting Dollywood. Continue reading

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Filed under Business & Commercial, Citizenship, Comment of the Day, Etiquette and manners, Gender and Sex, Government & Politics, Humor and Satire, Law & Law Enforcement, Popular Culture, Religion and Philosophy, Romance and Relationships, U.S. Society

Smearing John Kerry

You will seldom see as pure and despicable an example of using guilt by association than the current effort by some on the political Right to smear Sen. John Kerry based on recent revelations about Wade Sanders, like Kerry a Silver Star awardee, who introduced the Massachusetts Senator at the 2004 Democratic Convention. Continue reading

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Filed under Around the World, Government & Politics, Journalism & Media, Leadership, The Internet, War and the Military

Cheater’s Remorse: ABC News Gets Ethical Without Knowing What “Ethical” Means

If you think ABC News is going to get any credit here for officially (sort of) banning the practice of paying so-called “licensing fees” to get exclusive interviews, I’m going to disappoint you. Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Business & Commercial, Journalism & Media, Professions

The Provocative T-Shirt Problem

An ethical dilemma occurs when a clear ethical principle clashes with a strong non-ethical consideration. An ethical conflict occurs when multiple ethical principles suggest diametrically opposed results. The question of what is ethical conduct when it comes to wearing apparel bearing controversial messages has the elements of both a dilemma and a conflict. Welcome to Dollywood! Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Citizenship, Education, Etiquette and manners, Family, Gender and Sex, Government & Politics, Romance and Relationships, U.S. Society