Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'ethics'

Civilian Casualties Factor Into War Decisions

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST

The fighting in Gaza has killed more than 600 Palestinians — many of them civilians. Colonel Jim Hellis is chairman of the department of national security and strategy at the U.S. Army War College. He talks with Ari Shapiro about how the U.S. military factors in civilian casualties in assessments of war strategy. Hellis says it's a balance between legal, ethical and political concerns.

Wisc. Web Site Puts State Capitol In Minneapolis

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:03:00 EST

Wisconsin's Government Accountability Board is having to account for why its new Web site shows the state capitol in Madison in front of the Minneapolis skyline. An ethics officer explains that the Minneapolis skyline is a placeholder until an image of Madison that isn't copyrighted is found. The board didn't explain why the outside company it paid a million dollars to design the web site couldn't just take a picture.

Obama So Far Unscathed by Blagojevich Scandal

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:22:00 EST

The Republican National Committee was quick to link President-elect Obama to the alleged misdeeds of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But as details of the charges against Blagojevich emerged, it appeared that Obama may have passed an early and very public ethics test.

Ethics Rules May Limit Makeup Of Transition Team

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

Barack Obama ran for president promising to change the way Washington works. Now that he's won, he is indeed starting to change the rules. Will that change the everyday reality?

Boy On Life Support Stirs Debate On Faith, End-Of-Life Care

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Motl Brody, a 12 year-old Jewish boy from New York, was diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier this year and is now brain dead. The boy's doctors say they've done all they can to save his life, and it's time to end treatment. Brody's parents, citing religious convictions, oppose removing their son from life support. Brody's fate could eventually be left to the courts. Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman discusses personal faith, ethics and end-of-life care.

Vanguard's John Bogle Says 'Enough'

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:41:00 EDT

The founder and former CEO of The Vanguard Group shares his views on executive compensation, Wall Street and the financial system as a whole. His thoughts on the importance of ethical, moral and spiritual values are in his new book, Enough: The True Measure of Money, Business and Life.

Rude, Public Courtships And Other Ethical Matters

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

An ethics panel sheds light on a few of life's everyday ethical dilemmas. They discuss the right response to everything from a good friend who gets very close to a new boyfriend in your presence to working hard to try to help people even though some accuse you of helping the wrong people.

In Wake Of Scandal, Interior Chief Vows To Clean Up Agency

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:11:00 EDT

In the wake of a scandal over sex, drugs and graft, Dirk Kempthorne outlined his plan for better ethics oversight at a House committee hearing on Tuesday. An internal investigation revealed that government regulators had a more than cozy relationship with oil companies.

Website Tests Students' Ethical Boundaries

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:51:00 EDT

The Internet has given unprecedented access to information, but where do we draw the line? The Website Postyourtest.com invites users to share old college exams online. Is it cheating — or democracy?

Questions Abound About Palin's Faith

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT

The conservative views of GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin have been scrutinized by the media. Palin's roots in the Pentecostal church are also a matter of interest. The Rev. Cheryl Sanders, a professor of Christian ethics, is joined by the Rev. Hershael York, who teaches Christian Preaching at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary about Palin's religious roots.

The Interior Department Scandal And Drilling

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EDT

As Congress prepares to debate oil drilling in U.S. coastal waters, the Interior Department is caught up in a wide-ranging ethics scandal. John Dimsdale of Marketplace tells Alex Chadwick the scandal could have an impact on oil-drilling legislation.

Accusations of Sex, Drugs, Graft At Interior Dept.

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EDT

The Interior Department's inspector general issued a scathing report Wednesday outlining "a culture of ethical failure" in one of its programs. The report accuses department employees of having sex and using drugs with workers of the energy companies they regulated.

McCain's VP Pick Puzzles His Fans In N.H.

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EDT

When John McCain announced last week that he had picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate, not a lot of people knew much about her. Since then, Palin has been dogged by news that she is involved in an ethics investigation and that her unmarried 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. McCain won the Republican primary in New Hampshire, where female voters said they're puzzled by his choice for a running mate.

Sarah Palin, A Fresh Face For The GOP

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:51:00 EDT

Sarah Palin is no stranger to the "maverick" label often assigned to her Republican running mate. Alaska's youngest and first woman governor has pushed for ethics investigations of fellow Republicans in her state, and bucked the powerful oil industry on a major natural gas pipeline project.

Ethics Of Criminal Investigations

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:38:00 EDT

The recent anthrax investigation has brought to light the aggressive tactics of the FBI. It brought on questions about how far investigations should go and whether hardball tactics should remain legal.

Hospitals Fly Immigrants Back To Native Countries

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Some U.S. hospitals are flying uninsured immigrants back to their home countries for treatment of medical conditions that could require long term care. Critics denounce the practice, but some health care providers say they have few options. NPR's Joanne Silberner and Dr. Jay Wolfson, a public health specialist, discuss the ethics involved.

Journalistic Guidelines On The Campaign Trail

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EDT

On Sunday, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama spoke at the UNITY convention in Chicago — a conference for journalists of color held every four years. NPR Ombudsman Lisa Shepard discusses the ethical issues that arise for journalists covering political campaigns.

Expert Weighs In On Guantanamo Trial

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:29:00 EDT

Osama bin Laden's driver Salim Hamdan is the first prisoner to face a U.S. war crimes trial since World War II. Professor Scott Silliman, executive director of the Duke Law School's Center on Law, Ethics and National Security, discusses the start of the case.

More Awkard Situations Confronted in Ethics Column

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

O, the Oprah Magazine, explores everyday ethical challenges in its column "Now What Do I Do?" Jancee Dunn, the column's editor, and Faith Salie, a member column's ethics panel, discuss what not to say to new mothers, and whether it's ever okay to your dog into a restaurant.

Justice Department Report Finds Political Hiring Bias

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:01:48 EDT

An internal report by the Justice Department's own inspector general and ethics office concludes that the department broke the law when it hired candidates based on their political leanings.

Hour Two: Justice Dept. Report Finds Political Hiring Bias

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:01:48 EDT

An internal report by the Justice Department's own inspector general and ethics office concludes that the department broke the law when it hired candidates based on their political leanings.

Iowa Farming Couple Escapes Floods, But Not Worry

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:14:00 EDT

The Griffieon family's Ankeny, Iowa, farm avoided the floods that devastated much of the Midwest. But the disaster has driven up food prices, and the Griffieons worry about their role in the crisis — and whether it's ethical to sell their corn for ethanol.

Public Servants Flee Tough Oregon Ethics Laws

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:16:00 EDT

Capitol Hill scandals involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham prompted the state of Oregon to institute well-received ethics reform laws. But as the laws take effect, the state is seeing mass resignations from elected office and public boards.

Digital Music: A Conversation with The Ethicist

Fri, 23 May 2008 16:51:00 EDT

Today's music fans are having a harder time than ever telling right from wrong. Randy Cohen, author of the weekly ethics column for The New York Times Magazine, discusses the ethical implications of digital downloads.

Column Takes on Ethical Challenges

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:40:00 EDT

The ethics column, Now What Do I Do, appears each month in O, the Oprah magazine. Column writer Jancee Dunn and ethics panelist Jack Marshall share their answers to some of the recent ethical dilemmas posed by readers.