The Ethical Barometer

Christian Dior suspended “without hesitation” one of its top designers, John Galliano, for allegedly making anti-Semitic remarks.  Two days later, Mr. Galliano was terminated. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, CBS halted production of the Charlie Sheen hit television show, “Two and a Half Men,” for Mr. Sheen’s double-hitter of anti-Semitic remarks directed at his bosses. Dior stood to lose its red-carpet exposure, as it were, at the Oscars as the starlets opt for scandal-free designers.  CBS stands to lose about $100 million in ad revenues for stopping Continue reading →

Lindsay Lohan arrived for her court appearance on felony charges (she is alleged to have stolen a $2,500 necklace) clad in a clingy designer mini-dress (Kimberly Ovitz).  Once the photos of Lohan in Ovitz hit the intertent, the dress sold out around the country.  Who doesn’t want to show that she has the same fashion je ne sais quoi as a Hollywood starlet gone south?

Daniel Domscheit-Berg, a former WikiLeaks staffer, is being sued by WikiLeaks for what he reveals in his new book, “Inside WikiLeaks:  My Time with Julian Assange at the World’s Most Dangerous Website.”  Mr. Domscheit-Berg has another website, “OpenLeaks.”  WikiLeaks also alleges that DDB took documents along with him that WikiLeaks wanted to release! Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to release others’ confidential documents.

Heisman winner and Auburn quarterback of the BCS championship-winning Auburn football team, Cam Newton, has announced that he will not be returning to his potential alma mater for his senior year.  He called the choice “difficult” for him and his family.  What led to the choice may prove even more difficult for Auburn and the NCAA. That $180,000 pay-to-play allegation hangs heavy over the victor and his family.

Marianne Jennings was recently selected as one of 2010’s Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior. This year’s list of recipients includes leaders from the public and private sectors as well as authors, consultants, researchers and academics. Selection is based on continuing and positive contribution to building trust in business.  The Top 100 Thought Leaders represents the culmination of two years of research. Continue reading →

When you are caught on a wiretap cursing, stewing, and fretting about being caught for insider trading, there are not many routes for your defense attorney to take.  Suppress the wiretapped conversations that indicate intent?  With that evidentiary fight lost, Danielle Chiesi, a fund manager, became the 17^th person to enter a guilty plea in an insider trading ring that has resulted in criminal charges against charged 40 Wall Streeters and company executives.  Ms. Chiesi admitted that she acted as a conduit Continue reading →

Andrew Auernheimer and Daniel Spitler were able to gather the email addresses of 120,000 Apple iPad users when they hacked into AT&T’s website in June 2010.  AT&T acknowledged a flaw in its website. Messrs. Auernheimer and Spitler fell victim to hubris and bragged publicly (i.e., in non-secure sites) about their cyber space prowess.  Their boasting also referenced Goatse Security, an unincorporated association of what prosecutors estimate to be ten internet hackers.  Mr. Auernheimer wrote in one e-mail about their AT&T conquest, “Serious like [sic] this is valuable data.” The two young men were arrested on January 18, 2011 and charged with unauthorized access and fraud in the use of personal information.

The federal prosecutor in the case stated, “Hacking is not a competitive sport and security breaches are not a joke.” Those in the internet security field responded, “Criticism should be leveled at both sides,” and “AT&T’s site wasn’t sufficiently secure.”[1]

I guess when we don’t lock our doors, we have a burglary coming.  And when we don’t have a car alarm Continue reading →