In between the editorials and reports on Steve Jobs walking away from Apple on water, there was another story that caught the Barometer’s eye, a story that shares a common thread with the all-Apple, all-the-time coverage. Only Irene has enjoyed more coverage than Steve.
The second story dealt with some controversy at the UCLA Law School over its acceptance of a $10-million gift from Lowell Milken, younger brother of Michael Milken Continue reading
Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins addressing what the NCAA should do about the Miami situation and others involving student-athletes. Is it any wonder these kids take money from hangers-on? The signals from te adults on money and syntax are about as clear as mud.
Edward Tad Foote, former president of the University of Miami, in 1995, when misconduct in the school’s football program prompted the Sports Illustrated cover, “Why the University of Miami Should Drop Football.†The NCAA has concluded a five-month investigation and alleges UM booster Nevin Shapiro funneled perks to 73 student-athletes.
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, just released from a Michigan prison after serving 14 months for probation violations. The probation was for his perjury related to an affair with his former chief of staff. He faces a trial next year on federal pay-to-play corruption charges. He insists he has never “steered a contract†and that all of the charges are “absolutely untrue.”
The American Lawyer publishes its annual “profits per partner†on the top 100 law firms in the United States. Because law firms are privately held, the disclosure of the revenues and financial health is not required. However, the firms do provide the information for the publication because, well, looking robust is good for business. The problem is that “profits per partner†can vary, depending upon Continue reading
“Use your time wisely.†So went the counsel from Navy officers to submariners who were on breaks during their exams. Translation according to crew members: Go look up the answers you don’t know. Other submariners were e-mailed answer keys and still others were permitted to ask their officers for help during the exams. The fleet of 70 Navy nuclear subs requires high levels of knowledge and analytical skills from the crew. The training is long, the terms are technical, and the exams are challenging. Following an investigation of cheating Continue reading
NCAA President, Mark Emmert, on illicit gifts, money and sex parties allegedly bestowed upon University of Miami football players by former investment company owner and now incarcerated booster, Nevin Shapiro. Yes, there is something wrong. Lack of enforcement by the NCAA, a group that just Continue reading
You might have crossed a few ethical lines if you fire an employee who reports to city authorities that you are paying employees overtime for having sex with you at the office – sometimes as much as 26 extra hours per day!
Karen Turner, the executive director of the Pasco Housing Authority (Tampa area), is named in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by a former housing authority employee. The former employee’s suit alleges that she was fired when she reported that Turner was paying a male employee for having sex with her and that she walked in on the two while they were having sex at the housing authority offices. The employee indicated it was difficult to witness the activities, but Turner was the boss.
Not surprisingly, there are other allegations of mismanagement of housing, maintenance, and federal funds. HUD conducted a surprise visit to the Pasco Housing Authority offices several weeks ago. “Surprise†could apply to what those conducting the visit found or to the conduct of those in the office at the time of the surprise. HUD has not yet disclosed its surprise findings.
British Prime Minister David Cameron addressing the issue of youth riots in UK.
Oh, the insurrection of hungry, unemployed, and restless youth. What they won’t do for food. Except that the youth riots in Great Britain didn’t find the huddled and hungry masses with a powerful yearning for gruel, but rather for designer duds and bath accessories. Storming a Starbucks for scones would have had some meaning. Such was not the case. An 11-year-old boy entered a guilty plea to stealing a waste bin from a store –value of £50. That’s some waste bin. An 18-year-old was charged with stealing jewelry worth Continue reading
National Review, August 1, 2011, in describing the extent of the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal that has felled 178 teachers and principals who changed students’ answers on exams and used other “test clean-up” strategies in order to improve scores of the children over the past decade. The children are dumber than ever, thanks to the adults.
George J. Collins, former CEO of T. Rowe Price Group. “Questionable” is charitable.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week on an alarming increase in the number of retractions of published research by scientific journals. Charitably titled, “Mistakes in Scientific Studies Surge,†the article probably should have worked in the word “fraud†somewhere in there. The data are staggering. For example, in medical journals, the number of retractions during the 2001-2005 period was 87, but the number of retractions from 2006-2010 was 436. Astrophysics appears to be the only field that has escaped the retraction problem.
Now, of course, the number of articles published has increased (44%), but that increase alone cannot explain the five-fold increase in retractions. What gives? Here are the issues Continue reading
The federal criminal investigation into Washington Mutual’s lending practices has been closed. Further, it looks as if similar investigations into the mortgage lending of IndyMac Bancorp and New Century Financial are dormant and likely also to be closed. These three institutions were among the first to collapse under the weight of truly heavy subprime loan portfolios. Angelo Mozilo, former CEO of Countrywide (now saddled onto Bank of America), also escaped criminal Continue reading
