March 2010 – Suggest an article

• Defectors Say Church of Scientology Hides Abuse
• Vacations for Billionaires
• In Obesity Epidemic, What’s One Cookie?
• Fill in the Blanks: Using Math to Turn Lo-Res Datasets Into Hi-Res Samples
• Chilean Quake Likely Shifted Earth’s Axis, NASA Scientist Says
• Wiseguys Indicted in $25 Million Online Ticket Ring
• Most resistance to ‘Aurora’ hack attacks futile, says report
• Picture Happy Robber Turns Himself in

Continue reading Interesting articles »

The New York Times occasionally runs articles that compare 3 homes that are being offered for similar prices. Note that the prices are not directly comparable, since the articles were written over a period of time.

What You Get for … $5 Million
What You Get for … $6 Million
What You Get for …$8 Million
What You Get for … $10 Million (1)
What You Get for … $10 Million (2)
What You Get for… $12.5 Million
What You Get for …$20 Million
What You Get for … $28 Million
What You Get for … $30 Million

University Student Faces Discipline Over Email to Professors

Consider the following questions about the article linked to above.

1. Do you believe the issue addressed in the article is primarily about freedom of speech/expression?
2. Assuming that the facts presented in the article are accurate (which I can’t verify), do you believe that the university is justified in disciplining the student?
3. Do you believe that the student’s actions were appropriate (separate question from #2)?

Responses and other comments will be approved or rejected based on my evaluation of appropriateness, relevance, and quality of writing, but not viewpoint. Each comment will be either posted unedited, or rejected completely.

Additional reports of the same story

http://www.energypublisher.com/article.asp?id=17053

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10114646-38.html

Are Record Labels the New Realtors?

Music Industry Imitates Digital Pirates to Turn a Profit

Dutch Study Says Filesharing Has Positive Economic Effects

Music industry scrambles for cash

Legal downloads swamped by piracy

17,000 Downloads Does Not Equal 17,000 Lost Sales

According to the article linked to below, a manager at a Whole Foods Market store fired an employee for allegedly having physical contact with someone the employee believed to be a shoplifter.

Grocery worker fired for stopping shoplifter

Assuming that the facts in the article are accurate, was the manager’s decision was appropriate? Is the company’s policy appropriate? Is a policy that explicitly prohibits employees from physically stopping shoplifters appropriate?

When my girlfriend worked as a loss prevention agent, I researched many of the issues surrounding similar cases. I’ll comment in a week or so with my answers to the questions I posed. I’ll address the issues from both ethical and legal standpoints.

Update: my promised followup