Tag Archives: cowardice

Brain Freeze Ethics and Rick Perry

Rick Perry’s brain freeze in last night’s GOP debate didn’t disqualify him as a potential President, but his outrageous excuse does, Continue reading

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Filed under Government & Politics

Gov. Perry, Social Security, and Condemning the Truth

Telling the truth about an impending crisis that our government has been ignoring for decades makes you unelectable. Is it any wonder that ethics is a concept that the American political system regards with contempt? Continue reading

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Filed under Citizenship, Government & Politics, Leadership, U.S. Society

Biden’s China Gaffe

Joe Biden, representing the United States, voluntarily chose to endorse a program and policy that is a human rights outrage. Continue reading

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Filed under Around the World, Etiquette and manners, Gender and Sex, Government & Politics, Health and Medicine, Journalism & Media, Leadership, U.S. Society

The Folly and Threat of the Pew 13%

For the information and education of those 13% of cell phone owners who use their phones to avoid contact with others, here is what I know about you because you engage in this practice: Continue reading

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Filed under Citizenship, Daily Life, Etiquette and manners, Research and Scholarship, Science & Technology, U.S. Society

No Winners, Only Losers in the Debt Ceiling Train Wreck

All of the depressing display of fecklessness, selfishness and incompetence would be palatable if any real problems were solved by the eventual debt-ceiling compromise. They were not, however. In fact, new problems were created. Continue reading

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Filed under Around the World, Citizenship, Government & Politics, Health and Medicine, Incompetent Elected Officials, Journalism & Media, Leadership, Professions, U.S. Society

Barn Doors + Anger + Ignorance + Irresponsible Legislators = “Caylee’s Law”

When someone first mentioned the wave of support for “Caylee’s Law,” proposed legislation so far pending in four states making it a felony for a parent not to report a child’s death within an hour or a missing child within 24 hours, I responded that it “sounded like a good idea.” Lots of dumb things sound good to me before I think about them. “Caylee’s Law,” is in fact a terrible idea, and about 10 minutes of quality thought illuminates why. Continue reading

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Filed under Government & Politics, Journalism & Media, Law & Law Enforcement, Leadership, U.S. Society

Comment of the Day: “New Jersey Lottery Ethics…”

The Comment of the Day is a useful distinction, or lack of one, raised in the post about the NJ Lottery. Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Citizenship, Comment of the Day, Government & Politics, Research and Scholarship, Science & Technology

New Jersey Lottery Ethics…Well, Not Exactly

Maybe, if it really wanted to do the right thing, New Jersey would end the regressive lottery entirely, and instead of picking up revenue from state-sponsored gambling by citizens on food stamps, its legislators would have the courage and integrity to raise taxes on the people who could afford it! You know—like the ones who don’t play the lottery? Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Government & Politics, The Internet, U.S. Society

Ethics Quote of the Week: “Ethics Bob” Stone

One of the most valuable assets of any broadcast personality is likeability, and this has been Joe Scarborough’s stock in trade since he traded in his credentials as a Republican Congressman to become MSNBC’s token conservative pundit. As Bob Stone correctly states, however, Scarborough is not a nice guy; he is a fake. Continue reading

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Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Ethics Quotes, Etiquette and manners, Government & Politics, History, Journalism & Media, Popular Culture, Professions, Workplace

Ethics Train Wreck on “Morning Joe”

Time Magazine editor Mark Halperin, a frequent contributer to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, took one more chunk out of the tradition of gentility and civility in public discourse, not to mention broadcast journalism, by referring to the President of the United States as “a dick” Thursday morning.
Obviously the inhibitions supposedly bred into Americans about vulgar language in inappropriate places—like live TV—are crumbling fast, along with the tradition of respect for the office of President. What is more interesting about the incident, however, is how Halperin was egged into his gaffe by host Joe Scarborough, who then took no responsibility for it at all. Continue reading

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Filed under Citizenship, Etiquette and manners, Government & Politics, Journalism & Media, Leadership, Professions, U.S. Society