Pro Ethics

Angry Birds is expanding from your cell phone to Barnes and Noble and now Starbucks. The gaming world is entering coffee shops.

What do you think is the moral issue in this, Marissa?

I guess I don't think the idea of pelting pigs with birds is very moral in itself. It seems like a lot of video games are about killing and after working with elementary kids, a lot of the anger issues are stemming from video games/movies/television. I think video games are over taking our world. However, I do suppose it is a wise marketing strategy for Starbucks.

Google booked record sales and earnings in the first half of this year, made a series of splashy acquisitions, and is on a hiring spree. But in the eyes of Google chairman Eric Schmidt, the company is fighting for its survival.

New app and website estimate how much forced labor is used to make everyday products.

A case about Georigia man who is to be put to death tonight and he may be innocent. Was he tried unfairly?

This article is about a solar power company, Solyndra, being the selection as the Obama administration's first loan guarantee recipient. The company was financially strong and now is declaring bankruptcy after receiving a $535 million dollar loan.

This is a good article talking about how one should act when other employees are acting uneticaly.

Entrepreneur Richard Branson highlights a prominent sentiment in our discussion from last week about the importance of relationships in business: "...businesses aren't all about facts and figures - the people are your biggest assets." 

Interesting reflections on the current debates about taxation from one of our more famous millionaires, Mark Cuban (if you don't know him, he's owner of the Dallas Mavericks, among other things). 

This is about the recent stopping of major online poker in the U.S. This is more or less an updated report of the earlier happenings of this year. Full Tilt Poker can be basically described as a ponzi type scheme

Here's a good example of how damaging the environment can damage your business--especially when you try to manipulate the legal system to avoid accountability. 

Sustainability Reporting for companies has grown over the last decade by a substantial amount. The reason for this is it leads to economic and social behaviors increasing in their business.

An example of big business turning a blind eye to not only an ethical dilemma, but also a legal one. The countries that buy tobacco have laws in place banning child labor as does the supplying country. The word "help" is used instead of work to cover up the use of small children in dangerous situations.

Obligations to other people help to make business transactions and opportunities run smoother for everyone involved. Trust and transparency are very important.

This is an excellent example of how businesses can have a positive effect on their surroundings.

Big profits were made from insider trading!

Two fallen officers presented eagle feathers. Federal law stating illegal for anyone who is not an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe to possess an eagle feather.

Patient's and Insurance companies recieving consults via email/online and getting billed by insurance.

Relates to HIPAA and social networking

The House Judiciary chairman, has called the Justice Department to also look into, why the Energy Department loaned more money to a company on the brink of collapse. This is the 4th investigation into the Solyndra "incident"

An Amish man takes money of Amish families, who guaranteed investmant returns, lost most of it, and used money of new investors, to pay dividends, just like Bernie Madoff and most ponzi-schemes