Recent Commentaries

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Roberts Redux
It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one pointing out the lack of a clearly defined ethical code followed by justices on the Supreme Court. “Chief Justice John Roberts Jr.,” the NEW YORK TIMES writes in an editorial (Judicial Ethics and the Supreme Court, Jan. 5) “skirted the heart of the problem: the justices are the only American...
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January 9, 2012
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Apology and Forgiveness
“Self-righteousness has killed more people than smoking.” – John McCarthy, British Journalist During the course of a recent talk on ethics I spoke about the need to forgive; to forgive those who have not only hurt our feelings but even those who have stolen or cheated.  During the Q&A, someone asked if that forgiveness should extend to the corporate CEOs at...
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January 6, 2012
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Supreme Impartiality
A few years ago, I was called for jury duty. After being selected as a finalist, the judge explained that the case we would be deciding had to do with spousal abuse. He asked if we, as potential jurors, had anything in our personal lives that might cause us not to be impartial in this case, to speak up. I...
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January 4, 2012
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Wishes for a New Year
May we embrace peace with justice.  May we speak for it and stand for it.  May we make our voices heard and our presence felt. May we awaken to the possibilities of our greatness if we stop wasting our resources on war and its preparation. May we end all war in the new year.  Wars always end.  May we end...
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January 2, 2012
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Year in Review – Part II
On a positive note, the stories from this site that stood out for me include… Fifty Years Ago… recalled the first time I watched and listened to President Kennedy’s Inaugural Address in which he reminded Americans “…of individual responsibility… ‘In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course.’ “… a call...
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December 31, 2011
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To Tell the Truth
“What… is your name, please?” “I am Cheetah D. Chimp.” “I am Cheetah D. Chimp.” “I am Cheetah D. Chimp!” Among the notable death’s this past year, ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX announced the stunning news that “Cheetah,” 1930’s animal superstar (far left in photo), and faithful chimp companion to legendary king of the jungle,  » Read more about: To Tell the Truth  »...
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December 30, 2011
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End of the Year Round-Up
Hold on to your cynicism, kiddies, it’s my end of the year wrap-up of the highs and lows. Here’s just part of the past year’s craziness summarized in words: “The downgrade reflects our opinion that the fiscal-consolidation plan that Congress and the Administration recently agreed to falls short.” – Standard and Poor’s, in a statement regarding the downgrade in the U.S....
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December 28, 2011
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A Christmas Prayer
If this year could be summarized in one word, it would have to be “shouting”; a lot of shouting. From Egypt to Greece, Russia to India they shout. Then there’s the Occupy movement which has grown from Wall Street to the main streets of Wisconsin, California, Florida and Pennsylvania. Everyone’s shouting. However, the shouts of demonstrators around the world are, for the most part,...
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December 23, 2011
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And the Winner is…
Here’s an early Christmas gift. In what has become an annual event, Politifact.com, the Pulitzer Prize winning fact-check organization, has revealed itsLie of the Year for 2011. And the winner is… “Republicans voted to end Medicare.” “Republicans muscled a budget through the House of Representatives in April, that they said would take an important step toward reducing the federal deficit,”...
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December 21, 2011
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How to Improve the World
Tenzin Gyatso is the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. He is both head of state (in exile) and the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. He is admired and esteemed worldwide as a man who has championed policies of nonviolence. His consistent compassionate nonviolence, even in the face of great aggression, led to his receiving the Nobel Prize for Peacein 1989....
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December 19, 2011