Kate Connolly, Guardian; VW suspends media chief amid scandal over fume tests on monkeys
"The company initially tried to distance itself from the institute which commissioned the tests, the European Research Group of Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT), a car lobby group funded by Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW. But it is now known that VW managers were informed about the testing before and after it was carried out...
VW is already under close scrutiny over “dieselgate”, in which the carmaker manipulated tests on about 11m cars worldwide to make it appear they met emissions tests when in reality they exceeded levels many times over when used on the road.
The company said on Monday a small internal group had mistakenly pushed for the animal tests to be carried out and that they did not reflect VW’s ethos. But industry observers said the excuses held little water, as the experiments had been well-documented and the results presented to managers at BMW, Daimler and VW, all of whom belonged to the EUGT, which has since been disbanded."
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Monday, January 29, 2018
Ethicists explain exactly why James Comey isn’t qualified for his new gig teaching ethics; Quartz, January 27, 2018
Olivia Goldhill, Quartz; Ethicists explain exactly why James Comey isn’t qualified for his new gig teaching ethics
"Former FBI director James Comey, who faced the moral quandary of how to appropriately investigate US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during her 2016 campaign and wound up upsetting all sides of the political spectrum, is due to become a professor in, of all subjects, ethical leadership. Comey has been invited to teach at his alma mater, the College of William & Mary in Virginia, which apparently decided the former G-man has the relevant ethical credentials
We wondered if professional ethicists agreed, and so asked four professors in the leadership and ethics to evaluate Comey’s behavior..."
"Former FBI director James Comey, who faced the moral quandary of how to appropriately investigate US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during her 2016 campaign and wound up upsetting all sides of the political spectrum, is due to become a professor in, of all subjects, ethical leadership. Comey has been invited to teach at his alma mater, the College of William & Mary in Virginia, which apparently decided the former G-man has the relevant ethical credentials
We wondered if professional ethicists agreed, and so asked four professors in the leadership and ethics to evaluate Comey’s behavior..."
Strava suggests military users 'opt out' of heatmap as row deepens; Guardian, January 29, 2018
Alex Hern, Guardian; Strava suggests military users 'opt out' of heatmap as row deepens
"Fitness-tracking company Strava has defended its publication of heatmaps that accidentally reveal sensitive military positions, arguing that the information was already made public by the users who uploaded it.
"Fitness-tracking company Strava has defended its publication of heatmaps that accidentally reveal sensitive military positions, arguing that the information was already made public by the users who uploaded it.
Following the revelations, militaries around the world are contemplating bans on fitness trackers to prevent future breaches. As well as the location of military bases, the identities of individual service members can also be uncovered, if they are using the service with the default privacy settings.
The “global heatmap” shows, in aggregate form, every public activity uploaded to the app over its history. In major cities, it lights up popular running routes, but in less trafficked locales it can highlight areas with an unusually high concentration of connected, exercise-focused individuals – such as active military personnel serving overseas."
Friday, January 26, 2018
USOC gives USA Gymnastics board six days to resign or federation will be decertified; USA Today, January 25, 2018
Nancy Armour and Rachel Axon, USA Today; USOC gives USA Gymnastics board six days to resign or federation will be decertified
"The other conditions imposed by the USOC are:
"The other conditions imposed by the USOC are:
--All USA Gymnastics staff and board members must complete SafeSport training offered by the U.S. Center for Safe Sport within three months.
--All staff and board members must complete a comprehensive ethics training unit within the next six months.
“USA Gymnastics completely embraces the requirements outlined in the (email),” USA Gymnastics said in a statement posted on its website. “We understand that the requirements imposed by the letter will help us enhance our ability to build a culture of empowerment throughout the organization, with an increased focus on athlete safety and well-being.”
Thursday, January 25, 2018
A 12-Year-Old Girl Gives the Cruel Russian Version of ‘The Bachelor’ a Dose of Her Own Feminist Reality; The Daily Beast, January 25, 2018
Anna Nemtsova, The Daily Beast;
"Anna Rivina from the Nasiliyu.net (No to Violence) project of women struggling against domestic violence welcomes Anastasia’s campaign. Rivina believes that it shows that the younger generation of Russians are ready to say no to hypocrisy. “When I see bright young people like Anastasia, I want them to ignore hypocritical moralists who should have stayed with their opinions in the last century,” Rivina told The Daily Beast. “It is very important for our people to learn how to respect themselves.” Anastasia’s campaign means to teach Russia to respect women as much as men, and to be kind.
Happily, Anastasia did not lose friends as a result of the public humiliation. A group of her mostly male classmates supported her in the video address. Thousands of random people have joined her.
“So far I have not seen any reaction from Channel One,” Anastasia told The Daily Beast. “But I am pleased to realize that people of different ages and political views support my campaign.
“What the show’s presenters did to me was real cyberbullying,” Anastasia told The Daily Beast. She said she does not want to position her campaign anywhere on the political spectrum. “I have my entire life ahead of me.” Anastasia stresses that her campaign has a very specific target. “For 10 years, Let’s Get Married presenters have been publicly humiliating children, their mothers, older women, even kids with autism—this is unacceptable.”"
A 12-Year-Old Girl Gives the Cruel Russian Version of ‘The Bachelor’ a Dose of Her Own Feminist Reality
"Anna Rivina from the Nasiliyu.net (No to Violence) project of women struggling against domestic violence welcomes Anastasia’s campaign. Rivina believes that it shows that the younger generation of Russians are ready to say no to hypocrisy. “When I see bright young people like Anastasia, I want them to ignore hypocritical moralists who should have stayed with their opinions in the last century,” Rivina told The Daily Beast. “It is very important for our people to learn how to respect themselves.” Anastasia’s campaign means to teach Russia to respect women as much as men, and to be kind.
Happily, Anastasia did not lose friends as a result of the public humiliation. A group of her mostly male classmates supported her in the video address. Thousands of random people have joined her.
“So far I have not seen any reaction from Channel One,” Anastasia told The Daily Beast. “But I am pleased to realize that people of different ages and political views support my campaign.
“What the show’s presenters did to me was real cyberbullying,” Anastasia told The Daily Beast. She said she does not want to position her campaign anywhere on the political spectrum. “I have my entire life ahead of me.” Anastasia stresses that her campaign has a very specific target. “For 10 years, Let’s Get Married presenters have been publicly humiliating children, their mothers, older women, even kids with autism—this is unacceptable.”"
Jordan Peterson: ‘The pursuit of happiness is a pointless goal’; Guardian, January 21, 2018
Tim Lott, Guardian;
His book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos is an ambitious, some would say hubristic, attempt to explain how an individual should live their life, ethically rather than in the service of self. It is informed by the Bible, Nietzsche, Freud, Jung and Dostoevsky – again, uncommon sources for the genre.
I doubt it has the commercial appeal of The Secret (wish for something and it will come true) and it certainly strays markedly from the territory of How to Win Friends and Influence People. But then Peterson is in a different intellectual league from the authors of most such books. Camille Paglia estimates him to be “the most important Canadian thinker since Marshall McLuhan”.
Jordan Peterson: ‘The pursuit of happiness is a pointless goal’
"It is uncomfortable to be told to get in touch with your inner psychopath, that life is a catastrophe and that the aim of living is not to be happy. This is hardly the staple of most self-help books. And yet, superficially at least, a self-help book containing these messages is what the Canadian psychologist Jordan B Peterson has written.His book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos is an ambitious, some would say hubristic, attempt to explain how an individual should live their life, ethically rather than in the service of self. It is informed by the Bible, Nietzsche, Freud, Jung and Dostoevsky – again, uncommon sources for the genre.
I doubt it has the commercial appeal of The Secret (wish for something and it will come true) and it certainly strays markedly from the territory of How to Win Friends and Influence People. But then Peterson is in a different intellectual league from the authors of most such books. Camille Paglia estimates him to be “the most important Canadian thinker since Marshall McLuhan”.
Exclusive: Theresa May to announce ethical oversight of AI used to drive cars, diagnose patients and even sentence criminals; The Telegraph, January 22, 2018
Steven Swinford, The Telegraph;
Exclusive: Theresa May to announce ethical oversight of AI used to drive cars, diagnose patients and even sentence criminals
"The Prime Minister is expected to use her keynote speech at a summit of World leaders in Davos on Thursday to discuss the opportunities and ethical challenges presented by the rise of artificial intelligence.
Ministers believe that Britain has the chance to become a World leader in artificial intelligence, just as it currently is in other cutting-edge technologies such as genomics.
However there are significant concerns that computer algorithms could end up making critical ethical decisions without human oversight."
Monday, January 22, 2018
As technology develops, so must journalists’ codes of ethics; Guardian, January 21, 2018
Paul Chadwick, Guardian;
As technology develops, so must journalists’ codes of ethics
"AI collaboration poses ethical issues for, among others, courts that use it in sentencing, for operators of weapons systems, and for medical specialists. The potential benefits of AI, together with the widespread recognition that the accountability of AI decision-making matters greatly, give me confidence that the challenge of making AI accountable to humans will be met. Until it is, each collaboration requires attention. In journalism, the long-unchanging codes of ethics need to be revisited to make specific provision for this transitional era. A clause something like: “When using artificial intelligence to augment your journalism, consider its compatibility with the values of this code. Software that ‘thinks’ is increasingly useful, but it does not necessarily gather or process information ethically.”"
Sunday, January 21, 2018
It's time to eliminate Oregon's digital divide: Guest opinion; Oregon Live, January 19, 2018
Brant Wolf, Oregon Live;
"Right now, Oregon's urban areas along the I-5 corridor have better and more reliable access to high-speed broadband internet than our fellow Oregonians in more rural areas. That inequity in access causes a "digital divide." People who happen to live in big cities have multiple options for high-speed internet, while those in certain rural and remote areas have limited options.
The everyday impacts of that divide are obvious. It's more difficult to start and maintain a new business without access to internet. It's more difficult for the unemployed to find jobs. Young students who don't have access to high-speed internet fall behind their classmates who do. It can also be more difficult to gain access to quality health care through telemedicine options.
But it doesn't have to be this way."
It's time to eliminate Oregon's digital divide: Guest opinion
"Right now, Oregon's urban areas along the I-5 corridor have better and more reliable access to high-speed broadband internet than our fellow Oregonians in more rural areas. That inequity in access causes a "digital divide." People who happen to live in big cities have multiple options for high-speed internet, while those in certain rural and remote areas have limited options.
The everyday impacts of that divide are obvious. It's more difficult to start and maintain a new business without access to internet. It's more difficult for the unemployed to find jobs. Young students who don't have access to high-speed internet fall behind their classmates who do. It can also be more difficult to gain access to quality health care through telemedicine options.
But it doesn't have to be this way."
FCC WON'T REDEFINE 'BROADBAND;' MOVE COULD HAVE WORSENED DIGITAL DIVIDE; Wired, January 18, 2018
Klint Finley, Wired;
FCC WON'T REDEFINE 'BROADBAND;' MOVE COULD HAVE WORSENED DIGITAL DIVIDE
"The FCC announced Thursday that it will continue to define home broadband as connections that are 25 megabits per second (mbps). The commission also established a new standard for mobile broadband as a connection of 10mbps or higher, and said it had rejected the idea—which it had floated last year—of labeling mobile internet service an adequate replacement for home broadband.
Consumer groups and advocates for rural communities had worried that changing the definition of broadband would enable the government to minimize the so-called digital divide, between communities with speedy internet access and those without."
Congressman Combating Harassment Settled His Own Misconduct Case; New York Times, January 20, 2018
Katie Rogers and Kenneth P. Vogel, New York Times;
"After this article was published online, AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for the House speaker, Paul D. Ryan, said that Mr. Meehan was being removed immediately from the House Ethics Committee, where he has helped investigate sexual misconduct claims, and that the panel would investigate the allegations against him. In addition, Mr. Ryan told Mr. Meehan that he should repay the taxpayer funds, Ms. Strong said.
Sexual misconduct accusations against powerful men across a range of industries in recent months have prompted a national conversation about gender dynamics in the workplace, and the inadequacy of support systems for victims."
Congressman Combating Harassment Settled His Own Misconduct Case
"After this article was published online, AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for the House speaker, Paul D. Ryan, said that Mr. Meehan was being removed immediately from the House Ethics Committee, where he has helped investigate sexual misconduct claims, and that the panel would investigate the allegations against him. In addition, Mr. Ryan told Mr. Meehan that he should repay the taxpayer funds, Ms. Strong said.
Sexual misconduct accusations against powerful men across a range of industries in recent months have prompted a national conversation about gender dynamics in the workplace, and the inadequacy of support systems for victims."
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Comey to teach ethical leadership course at College of William & Mary; Politico, January 19, 2018
Aubree Eliza Weaver, Politico;
Comey to teach ethical leadership course at College of William & Mary
"Former FBI Director James Comey is joining the faculty at his alma mater, the College of William & Mary, and will teach a course on ethical leadership starting this fall, the school announced Friday morning.
“I am thrilled to have the chance to engage with William & Mary students about a vital topic — ethical leadership,” Comey said in a statement. “Ethical leaders lead by seeing above the short term, above the urgent or the partisan, and with a higher loyalty to lasting values, most importantly to the truth.”
“Building and maintaining that kind of leadership, in both the private sector and government, is the challenge of our time,” Comey said."
Thursday, January 18, 2018
We Asked Ethics Experts About Trump’s Worst Abuses During His First Year In Office : Here’s what they said.; Mother Jones, January 17, 2018
Andy Kroll, Mother Jones; We Asked Ethics Experts About Trump’s Worst Abuses During His First Year In Office : Here’s what they said.
"No president in modern history has run roughshod over the laws, guidelines, and norms of running an ethical and transparent administration like Donald Trump.
"No president in modern history has run roughshod over the laws, guidelines, and norms of running an ethical and transparent administration like Donald Trump.
He’s refused to divest any of his business holdings or meaningfully separate himself from his company. He’s visited (and so promoted) his private properties and golf courses at a breathtaking clip: Of his first 362 days in office, Trump spent one-third of them—121 days—at a Trump property, according to NBC News. His business has cashed in on his presidency by hiking membership fees and peddling access.
His aides have promoted Trump family properties and products. A year in, it is fair to describe the Trump administration’s approach to clean, ethical government as, well, nonexistent.
Below, six experts in clean government, ethics, anti-corruption, and transparency who have tracked the administration describe what they see as Trump’s most egregious ethical failings from his first year in office."
In new book, Microsoft cautions humanity to develop AI ethics guidelines now; GeekWire, January 17, 2018
Monica Nickelsburg, GeekWire;
In new book, Microsoft cautions humanity to develop AI ethics guidelines now
"This dangerous scenario is one of many posited in “The Future Computed,” a new book published by Microsoft, with a foreword by Brad Smith, Microsoft president and chief legal officer, and Harry Shum, executive vice president of Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence and Research group.
The book examines the use cases and potential dangers of AI technology, which will soon be integrated into many of the systems people use everyday. Microsoft believes AI should be developed with six core principles: “fair, reliable and safe, private and secure, inclusive, transparent, and accountable.”
Nimble policymaking and strong ethical guidelines are essential to ensuring AI doesn’t threaten equity or security, Microsoft says. In other words, we need to start planning now to avoid a scenario like the one facing the imaginary tech company looking for software engineers."
Mr. President, stop attacking the press; Washington Post, January 16, 2018
John McCain, Washington Post; Mr. President, stop attacking the press
"Ultimately, freedom of information is critical for a democracy to succeed. We become better, stronger and more effective societies by having an informed and engaged public that pushes policymakers to best represent not only our interests but also our values. Journalists play a major role in the promotion and protection of democracy and our unalienable rights, and they must be able to do their jobs freely. Only truth and transparency can guarantee freedom."
"Ultimately, freedom of information is critical for a democracy to succeed. We become better, stronger and more effective societies by having an informed and engaged public that pushes policymakers to best represent not only our interests but also our values. Journalists play a major role in the promotion and protection of democracy and our unalienable rights, and they must be able to do their jobs freely. Only truth and transparency can guarantee freedom."
‘Our democracy will not last’: Jeff Flake’s speech comparing Trump to Stalin, annotated; Washington Post, January 17, 2018
Amber Phillips, Washington Post; ‘Our democracy will not last’: Jeff Flake’s speech comparing Trump to Stalin, annotated
"For the second time in a span of several months, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) took to the Senate floor to call out President Trump. This time, Flake excoriated the president for launching a war on the media, comparing the president to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and warning his colleagues that nothing less than American democracy is at stake. It was all pegged to Trump's “Fake News Awards,” which the president said he was going to hand out Wednesday. Here's Flake's entire speech, annotated. Click on highlighted text to read the annotations."
"For the second time in a span of several months, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) took to the Senate floor to call out President Trump. This time, Flake excoriated the president for launching a war on the media, comparing the president to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and warning his colleagues that nothing less than American democracy is at stake. It was all pegged to Trump's “Fake News Awards,” which the president said he was going to hand out Wednesday. Here's Flake's entire speech, annotated. Click on highlighted text to read the annotations."
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
What Flake got right — and wrong; Washington Post, January 17, 2018
Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post; What Flake got right — and wrong
"Flake gave an impressive and far-reaching speech indicting Trump’s web of lies and the damage his international pals (e.g., Vladimir Putin) are doing to freedom of the press. He correctly admonished his Senate colleagues that undermining truth strengthens the hand of despots. Give him credit — but only partial credit. Elected Republicans engage in much of the same anti-truth propaganda as the president does. The evening programming of an entire TV cable “news” network is dedicated to conspiracy theories, misleading information about immigrants and terrorists, and refusal to cover facts that contradict the president’s tropes.
Trump did not materialize out of thin air. He masterfully manipulated white grievance and anti-elite conspiracy-mongering. But the ground was plowed by many of Flake’s colleagues and by Republicans’ self-selected news outlets. Getting rid of Trump will help, but unless and until the mind-set that permeates the right is dismantled, the war on the truth will rage on."
"Flake gave an impressive and far-reaching speech indicting Trump’s web of lies and the damage his international pals (e.g., Vladimir Putin) are doing to freedom of the press. He correctly admonished his Senate colleagues that undermining truth strengthens the hand of despots. Give him credit — but only partial credit. Elected Republicans engage in much of the same anti-truth propaganda as the president does. The evening programming of an entire TV cable “news” network is dedicated to conspiracy theories, misleading information about immigrants and terrorists, and refusal to cover facts that contradict the president’s tropes.
Trump did not materialize out of thin air. He masterfully manipulated white grievance and anti-elite conspiracy-mongering. But the ground was plowed by many of Flake’s colleagues and by Republicans’ self-selected news outlets. Getting rid of Trump will help, but unless and until the mind-set that permeates the right is dismantled, the war on the truth will rage on."
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Ethics Report On Trump Administration: The Most Unethical Presidency; NPR, January 16, 2018
[Podcast] Morning Edition, NPR;
Ethics Report On Trump Administration: The Most Unethical Presidency
"Steve Inskeep talks to Richard Painter, top ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush, and Norman Eisen, top ethics lawyer for President Obama. They argue Trump's administration has been unethical."
Monday, January 15, 2018
Duquesne University is embracing the future: We will help reinvent the region while instilling core values in the next generation of leaders; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 14, 2018
Ken Gormley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Duquesne University is embracing the future: We will help reinvent the region while instilling core values in the next generation of leaders
"Ken Gormley is a former dean of the Duquesne University School of Law and has served as the university’s president since July 2016...
"Ken Gormley is a former dean of the Duquesne University School of Law and has served as the university’s president since July 2016...
As the only Catholic, Spiritan university in the United States, we have a duty to address troublesome trends. Fewer students than ever enter college today with foundations in religious faith or possessing core values. Fewer students than ever have grown up in close-knit communities where respectful treatment of others is practiced and moral compasses are shaped.
Technology is amazing. Yet young people raised on smartphones, text messaging and Instagram often have stunted social skills and difficulty interacting with others. Shout-fests on cable TV and insensitive postings on social media have become the norm, in lieu of productive social discourse. If society is going to get a grip on today’s crisis of moral ambiguity, universities like Duquesne must play a larger and more creative role in shaping responsible, ethical leaders.
We also have a duty to help reinvent Western Pennsylvania...
Duquesne faces more daunting responsibilities than ever, and we’re prepared to shoulder them. We recently completed a five-year strategic plan that doubles down on Duquesne’s historic role in this region. Duquesne has a rich tradition of serving people of all faiths and backgrounds. We welcomed African-American students, Jewish students and women to our campus more than 100 years ago — long before most universities opened their doors to such diverse groups."
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Bad behavior and rise in ethical dilemmas are an advantage to Denver’s Convercent, which just raised $25M; Denver Post, December 19, 2017
Tamara Chuang, Denver Post;
"Ethics software developer Convercent said Tuesday it raised $25 million in new funding. The investment was led by Rho Ventures.
Bad behavior and rise in ethical dilemmas are an advantage
to Denver’s Convercent, which just raised $25M
"Ethics software developer Convercent said Tuesday it raised $25 million in new funding. The investment was led by Rho Ventures.
The Denver firm has seen interest in its software surge as tech companies and others battle ethical issues that went public, such as Uber’s problems with workplace harassment. Uber is reportedly a new client. Convercent’s software can pop up a reminder to employees when they’re facing a potential issue, such as rules that kick in when traveling overseas. But closer to home, companies are reaching out to Convercent in the wake of celebrity sexual harassment scandals."
5 Signs Your Organization Might Be Headed for an Ethics Scandal; Harvard Business Review, December 18, 2017
Alison Taylor, Harvard Business Review;
"Corporations often approach ethics as an individual problem, designing oversight systems to identify the “bad apples” before they can turn the organization into a “rotten barrel.” But at places like Wells Fargo, FIFA, and Volkswagen, we can’t fully describe what happened by reading profiles of John Stumpf, Sepp Blatter, or Martin Winterkorn. Bad apple explanations also fail to explain the string of ethical crises at Uber, the long-term impunity of powerful men who sexually harass colleagues, or any of the other ethics scandals we’ve seen this year. Rather, we see a “tone at the top” underpinned by widespread willful blindness, toxic incentives, and mechanisms that deflect scrutiny. These conditions seem to persist and metastasize. They replicate despite changes in leadership and in management systems."
5 Signs Your Organization Might Be Headed for an Ethics Scandal
"Corporations often approach ethics as an individual problem, designing oversight systems to identify the “bad apples” before they can turn the organization into a “rotten barrel.” But at places like Wells Fargo, FIFA, and Volkswagen, we can’t fully describe what happened by reading profiles of John Stumpf, Sepp Blatter, or Martin Winterkorn. Bad apple explanations also fail to explain the string of ethical crises at Uber, the long-term impunity of powerful men who sexually harass colleagues, or any of the other ethics scandals we’ve seen this year. Rather, we see a “tone at the top” underpinned by widespread willful blindness, toxic incentives, and mechanisms that deflect scrutiny. These conditions seem to persist and metastasize. They replicate despite changes in leadership and in management systems."
Mashable; What an AI ethics expert thinks of 'Black Mirror' Season 4; January 12, 2018
Angie Han, Mashable; What an AI ethics expert thinks of 'Black Mirror' Season 4
Spoilers in the linked Mashable article
[Kip Currier: I recently finished watching not-too-distant-future-tech anthology series Black Mirror's six new Season 4 episodes over the course of a week. In terms of audacious creativity, corkscrew concept, and visual effects, "U.S.S. Callister" was the clear "ep-to-remember" of this season. Just as 2017 Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Television Movie, "San Junipero", was the stand-out of Black Mirror Season 3--and, for me, the most memorable (and uncharacteristically upbeat) Black Mirror episode to date. The 80's and 90's "earworm" music callbacks were a big part of San Junipero's charms too!]
"The best Black Mirror episodes don't just leave you wondering whether these futures could happen. They force you to consider what it would mean if they did.
For John C. Havens, these aren't just idle TV musings. He's the executive director of the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems, a program that aims to inspire the creation of IEEE Standards around the design and development of artificial intelligence.
Spoilers in the linked Mashable article
[Kip Currier: I recently finished watching not-too-distant-future-tech anthology series Black Mirror's six new Season 4 episodes over the course of a week. In terms of audacious creativity, corkscrew concept, and visual effects, "U.S.S. Callister" was the clear "ep-to-remember" of this season. Just as 2017 Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Television Movie, "San Junipero", was the stand-out of Black Mirror Season 3--and, for me, the most memorable (and uncharacteristically upbeat) Black Mirror episode to date. The 80's and 90's "earworm" music callbacks were a big part of San Junipero's charms too!]
"The best Black Mirror episodes don't just leave you wondering whether these futures could happen. They force you to consider what it would mean if they did.
For John C. Havens, these aren't just idle TV musings. He's the executive director of the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems, a program that aims to inspire the creation of IEEE Standards around the design and development of artificial intelligence.
In other words, he and his team are the ones trying to keep us from hurtling, unprepared and unaware, into a Black Mirror dystopia. He also happens to be a big Black Mirror fan, which is why we called him up to ask him all the questions that kept us up at night after we finished Season 4."
Friday, August 25, 2017
With Trump White House, Are Ethics Issues Becoming Just Part Of The Scenery?; NPR, August 25, 2017
Peter Overby, NPR; With Trump White House, Are Ethics Issues Becoming Just Part Of The Scenery?
"Kathleen Clark, the ethics-law professor, said all administrations come to grips with ethics, but normally they see a pro-ethics stance as politically smart. She said the Trump White House appears to have a different perspective.
"The question isn't, 'How can we use this to strengthen our hand politically?' " she said. "It's instead, 'How can we avoid application of any restriction, anything that would get in the way of our financially benefiting and exploiting government office?' And that is unprecedented.""
"Kathleen Clark, the ethics-law professor, said all administrations come to grips with ethics, but normally they see a pro-ethics stance as politically smart. She said the Trump White House appears to have a different perspective.
"The question isn't, 'How can we use this to strengthen our hand politically?' " she said. "It's instead, 'How can we avoid application of any restriction, anything that would get in the way of our financially benefiting and exploiting government office?' And that is unprecedented.""
Monday, August 21, 2017
Saturday, August 19, 2017
One more lesson from Charlottesville: Our comedians are more ethical than our president; Salon, August 19, 2017
Sophia A. McClennen, Salon; One more lesson from Charlottesville: Our comedians are more ethical than our president
"This week we have now seen another key feature of satire: It offers ethical responses to unethical actions.
"This week we have now seen another key feature of satire: It offers ethical responses to unethical actions.
The ethics of satire is often hard to see, especially because comedy can so often be crass and crude...
This is all to say that comedians are unlikely moral leaders. And yet in the Trump era, when literally every value in our nation seems to have been turned upside down, we are now seeing comedians play an increasingly larger role as champions of good versus evil.
This is why as Meyers ended his monologue he directly went after Trump for failing to uphold his moral obligations as president of our nation:
The leader of our country is called the president because he’s supposed to preside over society. His job is to lead, to cajole, to scold, to correct our path, to lift up what is good about us and to absolutely and unequivocally and immediately condemn what is evil in us. And if he does not do that, if he does not preside over our society, then he is not a president. You can stand for a nation or you can stand for a hateful movement. You can’t do both. And if you don’t make the right choice, I am confident that the American voter will.
Friday, August 18, 2017
Trump is Sarah Palin but better at it; Washington Post, August 17, 2017
Jane Coaston, Washington Post; Trump is Sarah Palin but better at it
"His fans weren’t dissuaded by his past support for Democrats (including his 2016 opponent), or his lies, or his personal liberalism, or his crudeness, or his long history of mistreating small-business owners of the kind he claimed to champion, because his fans weren’t voting for Trump. They were voting for what Trump meant to them personally.
In turn, his base will not leave him, because to abandon Trump would not be to abandon the current president but to leave behind deeply held beliefs of their own. His popularity is cultural, not political, resilient to the notions of truth and fiction and to Trump’s own failures. Even after his presidency, regardless of whether it ends in impeachment or in two consecutive terms in office, the image will remain undaunted.
At the 2015 Freedom Summit in Iowa, Palin gave a 35-minute speech described as confusing at best and career-ending at worst by conservative writers and commentators in attendance. The Washington Examiner’s Byron York even wrote that Palin “made a guy like Trump look like a serious presidential candidate.” How appropriate then that the student became the master."
"His fans weren’t dissuaded by his past support for Democrats (including his 2016 opponent), or his lies, or his personal liberalism, or his crudeness, or his long history of mistreating small-business owners of the kind he claimed to champion, because his fans weren’t voting for Trump. They were voting for what Trump meant to them personally.
In turn, his base will not leave him, because to abandon Trump would not be to abandon the current president but to leave behind deeply held beliefs of their own. His popularity is cultural, not political, resilient to the notions of truth and fiction and to Trump’s own failures. Even after his presidency, regardless of whether it ends in impeachment or in two consecutive terms in office, the image will remain undaunted.
At the 2015 Freedom Summit in Iowa, Palin gave a 35-minute speech described as confusing at best and career-ending at worst by conservative writers and commentators in attendance. The Washington Examiner’s Byron York even wrote that Palin “made a guy like Trump look like a serious presidential candidate.” How appropriate then that the student became the master."
There is a shriveled emptiness where Trump’s soul once resided; Washington Post, August 17, 2017
Michael Gerson, Washington Post; There is a shriveled emptiness where Trump’s soul once resided
"Every additional day of standing next to Trump — physically and metaphorically — destroys reputation and diminishes moral standing. The rationalizations are no longer credible. But resignation, in contrast, would be a contribution to the common good — showing that principled leadership in service to the Constitution is still possible, even in the age of Trump. When loyalty requires corruption, it is time to leave."
"Every additional day of standing next to Trump — physically and metaphorically — destroys reputation and diminishes moral standing. The rationalizations are no longer credible. But resignation, in contrast, would be a contribution to the common good — showing that principled leadership in service to the Constitution is still possible, even in the age of Trump. When loyalty requires corruption, it is time to leave."
Trump is a cancer on the presidency; Washington Post, August 18, 2017
Jonathan Capehart, Washington Post; Trump is a cancer on the presidency
"Trump must be held accountable for his false moral equivalency and his willingness to exalt the treasonous Confederacy at the expense of our union. The “harsh penalty” that escaped him in 2011 must be visited upon him now. People of good conscience must speak up and stay vocal. More Republicans must stand up to him now and do so boldly. They have to put the country before party or some longed-for policy that pales in comparison to the preservation of our ideals. And if Trump succeeds in surviving this unbelievable affront to all we say we are, he will not be to blame. We will."
"Trump must be held accountable for his false moral equivalency and his willingness to exalt the treasonous Confederacy at the expense of our union. The “harsh penalty” that escaped him in 2011 must be visited upon him now. People of good conscience must speak up and stay vocal. More Republicans must stand up to him now and do so boldly. They have to put the country before party or some longed-for policy that pales in comparison to the preservation of our ideals. And if Trump succeeds in surviving this unbelievable affront to all we say we are, he will not be to blame. We will."
Donald Trump has no grasp of what it means to be president; Economist, August 19, 2017
Economist; Donald Trump has no grasp of what it means to be president
"Mr Trump is not a white supremacist. He repeated his criticism of neo-Nazis and spoke out against the murder of Heather Heyer (see our Obituary). Even so, his unsteady response contains a terrible message for Americans. Far from being the saviour of the Republic, their president is politically inept, morally barren and temperamentally unfit for office."
"Mr Trump is not a white supremacist. He repeated his criticism of neo-Nazis and spoke out against the murder of Heather Heyer (see our Obituary). Even so, his unsteady response contains a terrible message for Americans. Far from being the saviour of the Republic, their president is politically inept, morally barren and temperamentally unfit for office."
Trump Makes Caligula Look Pretty Good; New York Times, August 18, 2017
Paul Krugman, New York Times; Trump Makes Caligula Look Pretty Good
"Anyone with eyes — eyes not glued to Fox News, anyway — has long realized that Trump is utterly incapable, morally and intellectually, of filling the office he holds. But in the past few days things seem to have reached a critical mass...
For here’s the situation: Everyone in Washington now knows that we have a president who never meant it when he swore to defend the Constitution. He violates that oath just about every day and is never going to get any better.
The good news is that the founding fathers contemplated that possibility and offered a constitutional remedy: Unlike the senators of ancient Rome, who had to conspire with the Praetorian Guard to get Caligula assassinated, the U.S. Congress has the ability to remove a rogue president."
"Anyone with eyes — eyes not glued to Fox News, anyway — has long realized that Trump is utterly incapable, morally and intellectually, of filling the office he holds. But in the past few days things seem to have reached a critical mass...
For here’s the situation: Everyone in Washington now knows that we have a president who never meant it when he swore to defend the Constitution. He violates that oath just about every day and is never going to get any better.
The good news is that the founding fathers contemplated that possibility and offered a constitutional remedy: Unlike the senators of ancient Rome, who had to conspire with the Praetorian Guard to get Caligula assassinated, the U.S. Congress has the ability to remove a rogue president."
The Week When President Trump Resigned; New York Times, August 18, 2017
Frank Bruni, New York Times; The Week When President Trump Resigned
"Trump resigned the presidency already — if we regard the job as one of moral stewardship, if we assume that an iota of civic concern must joust with self-regard, if we expect a president’s interest in legislation to rise above vacuous theatrics, if we consider a certain baseline of diplomatic etiquette to be part of the equation.
By those measures, it’s arguable that Trump’s presidency never really began...
On Tuesday he “relinquished what presidents from Roosevelt to Reagan have regarded as a cardinal duty of their job: set a moral course to unify the nation,” wrote The Times’s Mark Landler, in what was correctly labeled a news analysis and not an opinion column. Landler’s assessment, echoed by countless others, was as unassailable as it was haunting, and it was prompted in part by Trump’s perverse response to a question that it’s hard to imagine another president being asked: Did he place the neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Va., on the same “moral plane” as those who showed up to push back at them?
“I’m not putting anybody on a moral plane,” Trump answered.
Indeed he wasn’t. And if you can’t put anybody on a moral plane, you can’t put yourself on Air Force One."
"Trump resigned the presidency already — if we regard the job as one of moral stewardship, if we assume that an iota of civic concern must joust with self-regard, if we expect a president’s interest in legislation to rise above vacuous theatrics, if we consider a certain baseline of diplomatic etiquette to be part of the equation.
By those measures, it’s arguable that Trump’s presidency never really began...
On Tuesday he “relinquished what presidents from Roosevelt to Reagan have regarded as a cardinal duty of their job: set a moral course to unify the nation,” wrote The Times’s Mark Landler, in what was correctly labeled a news analysis and not an opinion column. Landler’s assessment, echoed by countless others, was as unassailable as it was haunting, and it was prompted in part by Trump’s perverse response to a question that it’s hard to imagine another president being asked: Did he place the neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Va., on the same “moral plane” as those who showed up to push back at them?
“I’m not putting anybody on a moral plane,” Trump answered.
Indeed he wasn’t. And if you can’t put anybody on a moral plane, you can’t put yourself on Air Force One."
New ABA President Hilarie Bass touts lawyers' role in protecting democracy; ABA Journal, August 15, 2017
Debra Cassens Weiss, ABA Journal; New ABA President Hilarie Bass touts lawyers' role in protecting democracy
"[ABA new President Hilarie] Bass also emphasized how the ABA and lawyers can make a difference at a time when many are concerned about whether the nation can be a “shining example” to the rest of the world. “But all can agree it is lawyers who must lead the effort to protect our democracy from its challenges,” she said.
She pointed to lawyers stationed in airports who offered free legal assistance to immigrants, to attorneys general who challenge what they believe to be unconstitutional mandates, and to lawyers who have spoken out about the need for an independent judiciary.
“Our democracy functions best when there are lawyers prepared to protect it,” she said."
"[ABA new President Hilarie] Bass also emphasized how the ABA and lawyers can make a difference at a time when many are concerned about whether the nation can be a “shining example” to the rest of the world. “But all can agree it is lawyers who must lead the effort to protect our democracy from its challenges,” she said.
She pointed to lawyers stationed in airports who offered free legal assistance to immigrants, to attorneys general who challenge what they believe to be unconstitutional mandates, and to lawyers who have spoken out about the need for an independent judiciary.
“Our democracy functions best when there are lawyers prepared to protect it,” she said."
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Trump again blamed ‘both sides’ in Charlottesville. Here’s how politicians are reacting.; Washington Post, August 16, 2017
Kevin Uhrmacher, Denise Lu, Kevin Schaul and Aaron Steckelberg, Washington Post; Trump again blamed ‘both sides’ in Charlottesville. Here’s how politicians are reacting.
"Tim Scott R
SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR
The moral authority of this nation rests upon clarity of convictions & actions that reinforce our commitment to the greater good for all! My party&our nation must stand united against hate, racism& groups/individuals who want to reject the truth that we are all from one blood.
Kamala Harris D
CALIFORNIA SENATOR
“Many sides” suggests that there is no right side or wrong side, that all are morally equal. But I reject that. It's not hard to spot the wrong side here. They're the ones with the torches and the swastikas.
Marco Rubio R
FLORIDA SENATOR
The organizers of events which inspired & led to #charlottesvilleterroristattack are 100% to blame for a number of reasons [Later tweet:] Mr. President,you can't allow #WhiteSupremacists to share only part of blame. They support idea which cost nation & world so much pain
Patty Murray D
WASHINGTON SENATOR
There is only one side. White supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazis, & hate groups have no place in our country. The President needs to say that.
Paul Ryan R
HOUSE SPEAKER AND WISCONSIN CONGRESSMAN
We must be clear. White supremacy is repulsive. This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity."
Hundreds mourn for Heather Heyer, killed during Nazi protest in Charlottesville; Washington Post, August 16, 2017
Ellie Silverman, Arelis R. Hernández and Steve Hendrix, Washington Post; Hundreds mourn for Heather Heyer, killed during Nazi protest in Charlottesville
"“Thank you for making the word ‘hate’ more real,” said her law office coworker Feda Khateeb-Wilson. “But...thank you for making the word ‘love’ even stronger.”
In a packed old theater in the center of the quiet college town that has become a racial battleground, those who knew Heyer turned her memorial into a call for both understanding and action.
“They tried to kill my child to shut her up, but guess what, you just magnified her,” said her mother Susan Bro, sparking a cheering ovation from the packed auditorium, where Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va) were among the crowd.
“No father should ever have to do this,” said Mark Heyer, his voice breaking on a stage filled with flowers and images of the 32-year-old paralegal who was killed Saturday when a car plowed into a crowd of protestors gathered to oppose a white supremacist rally."
"“Thank you for making the word ‘hate’ more real,” said her law office coworker Feda Khateeb-Wilson. “But...thank you for making the word ‘love’ even stronger.”
In a packed old theater in the center of the quiet college town that has become a racial battleground, those who knew Heyer turned her memorial into a call for both understanding and action.
“They tried to kill my child to shut her up, but guess what, you just magnified her,” said her mother Susan Bro, sparking a cheering ovation from the packed auditorium, where Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va) were among the crowd.
“No father should ever have to do this,” said Mark Heyer, his voice breaking on a stage filled with flowers and images of the 32-year-old paralegal who was killed Saturday when a car plowed into a crowd of protestors gathered to oppose a white supremacist rally."
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