Recently in By Padmini Mangunta Category

I've been following CNN.com's "Killings At The Canal: The Army Tapes," an investigation into the circumstances leading up to, and following, the premeditated murder of four Iraqis in 2007. I suppose I've been waiting for my lightbulb moment when I would understand how so many people believe these soldier's actions were defensible -- I have yet to have it.

Let me preface by saying that I do sympathize with the idea that our soldiers in combat are subject to the type of on-going trauma that I can't even begin to understand, all in the name of duty, and in the name of protecting our country. However, I just can't bring myself to agree with those that consider these men heroes, or believe that they should be excused from their part in this incident. To do so, in my opinion, is akin to saying anyone who witnessed a murder (or some other severe trauma) should receive a get-out-of-jail card if they too commit murder.

But this is a special case, you may say. These are the men and women fighting to protect our country. Yes, they are. But what exactly are they fighting to protect?
 

Goshdarnnit, Hillary...your oblications and holiday survival tips post puts me in the position of bad angel. Nonetheless, I gladly pick up the horns and pitchfork to make my personal pitch for skipping oblications for...self-gratification vacations? 

A few years ago I had the questionable pleasure of having some very distant relatives visit for Thanksgiving. At first I looked forward to it; I've always liked the idea of having family around for the holidays, especially since most of our immediate family lives in India. But the reality of it? Well, it was a stressful mix of polite conversation and pandering, at least until one relative got a little too comfortable and started sharing his racist views on the world. At that point it just became a ticking time bomb before I simply lost it.

NBC is starting its 3rd annual Green Week this Sunday to promote, you guessed it, greener lifestyles via green-themed content throughout their programming. Kudos to NBC for its efforts, but I tend to agree with this blogger on Chicago Now -- Green Week seems a bit half-hearted when you consider how relatively simple it would be to write in a consistently greener lifestyle for the many characters on their many shows.

But still, its always great to see the effort to promote a healthier lifestyle for this planet of ours. The idea of making the effort -- or not making the effort as the case may be -- reminded me of these two past roommates of mine. I met them both through Craigslist when I needed a new apartment in New York; at the time they seemed to be pretty nice, normal girls. To be fair they weren't mean, or abnormal...they just had a different mindset.

One night they accidentally ordered "An Inconvenient Truth" on demand (yes, accidentally; they had no idea what the movie was about and were vocal in their disappointment). They were also vocal in their opinion that global warming, as well as all these efforts to "green" the world, were a full-scale liberal conspiracy. Y'know, I'd heard there were people who believed that, I just never expected to live with them.

Well, such thinking was of course their right, and I left them to it. But I just can't fathom that type of attitude. Don't we have an obligation to take care of what we use? 

My mom certainly pounded into me the idea that we have a responsibility to our belongings, whether a car, furniture, or a home. For her, this lesson came from the idea of respect; have respect for that which you use, and it will reward you by lasting forever. And while I personally don't believe the earth to be "ours" (it came before us and will hopefully be here after us), surely no one can deny that it's something we use to exist. 

So why are there still those who believe recycling is for hippies? And that global warming is a conspiracy? At a very base level, isn't it just about respect?

By now there is nothing shocking about the fact that some shows' sole purpose seem to be pushing the envelope. I'm not a Gossip Girl follower, but the few times I've caught an episode, I found myself spouting off like an old fuddy-duddy.

"How old is that girl?" "When I was her age, I didn't even know what that was!" etc etc.

For instance, a threesome. Ok, I'm sure at 16, I could have put two and two together (or, I suppose, two and one together) but I sure wouldn't have thought of it on my own. And I most definitely wouldn't have been taking part in one.

Apparently, 3 of our favorite GG characters both know exactly what a threesome is and will be taking part in one on this Monday's episode. Time for sweeps week, people, and making money the old-fashioned way -- the promotion of promiscuous teens!

Now, I'm a strong advocate of freedom of expression and speech, so I'm not sure where I fall on this debate. Personally, I'd love to see some sort of responsibility on the part of the network and the show's writers and producers. Again, not to sound like a fuddy-duddy, but a threesome? Come on!

What do you think? Is this crossing the line? Should we look for a stronger sense of social responsibility from those that are entertaining us?

I'm some type of strange masochist who absolutely loves reading the comments section of every news story, blog post, and youtube video I read or watch. It's one of the reasons I love digital media -- the immediate forum to hear the voices of my fellow man. And sometimes, my fellow man makes me want to take a fork and stab myself in the eye.

Case in point, Rihanna's interview with Diane Sawyer, which airs tomorrow on 20/20. I was one of probably millions who Googled the five-minute Good Morning America clip from this morning. Personally, I am happy that she is taking her experience and letting something positive come out of it--whether or not you or I value her role in society, she does play an important role to young women everywhere. And if Rihanna speaking about her involvement in this sad situation helps one girl get out of a similar situation, amen to that.

However, from what I can glean from the peanut gallery, people are more upset that she timed this interview to coincide with the release of her new album. Also, they're upset that she lacks humility and presumes to speak up for young girls and women everywhere. Many (too many) maintain that Rihanna hit Chris Brown and was possessive, and therefore was not a victim. Some claim that because of her fame and forture, she is less of a victim -- she didn't have to escape to a shelter, therefore her situation doesn't count as abuse.

Wal-Mart seems to be playing a much larger part in our blog than usual lately, but apparently that's where all the news happens. Actually, the incident I'm referring to in this case actually occurred three years ago, but the trial is...

I've weighed the question of whether we should be held accountable for the failings of our friends, I've raked myself over the coals for my unethical shoving-morals-down-throat technique when it comes to family -- now, I wonder, is it wrong...

"I bet this is a learning incident." This is a quote from West Contra Costa Unified School District spokesman Marin Trujillo, in regards to the gang rape that occurred on school grounds after a homecoming dance. I actually felt chilled as...

Yesterday I completed my move from New York City (a move that began 3 weeks ago and paused for a moment in the Midwest) into San Francisco. I was feeling pretty great when I landed; friendly, accommodating people, easy trip,...

My Friday failure...well, this is an easy one. When it comes to ethical living, I am a ridiculous, in-your-face, know-it-all -- to my family. I sadly saw the light mid-lecture after my mom made an innocent comment about the...

If you're a reader of Self, you may or may not have heard the outraged cries echoing in the blogosphere when the magazine published its September cover featuring an extremely fit Kelly Clarkson - or more accurately, a falsely-fit Clarkson. Jezebel...

It's Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, a day millions of people celebrate the triumph of good over evil. And to those of you who recognize the holiday, you might be interested in President Obama's Diwali greetings. If you've followed this...

I went to college in Columbia, Missouri, and though it's been years since I lived here, my mom has since moved to town, and I still consider it home. Columbia is approximately half way between St. Louis and Kansas...

I recently had an interesting debate about health care with my brother, a doctor in the Navy. As debates between the two of us generally go, we circled around a number of topics before ending the call. One such topic...

Update: Perhaps the move wasn't such a surprise to everyone. Reuters reported on Wednesday about rumblings that the Nobel Committee was trying to return to its activist roots, and quoted Kristian Berg Harpviken, head of the International Peace Institute in...

A few weeks ago, Hillary wrote about the website, peopleofwalmart. At the time I refrained from commenting because, well, I felt bad. I grew up in small towns around Missouri where Wal-Mart was the primary source of...everything. And while the...

I wish. So, I've been hounding my friends like crazy lately. Why? Well, lately I've felt fresh out of ethical dilemmas. My solution was to post a status message on Facebook and instant messenger, begging people to send any ethical...

Yesterday was a big day for me; I moved out of New York City, my home of seven years. It was a whirlwind day--finishing up some work, packing, saying my goodbyes to good friends. Then of course there was the...

My sense of justice vs legal ethics goes a bit askew when it comes to sex offenders. On the one hand, I believe in crime and punishment as well as rehabilitation; on the other hand, I don't know many...

I'm pretty proud of my Midwestern work ethic; efficient, steady, reliable. Still, I spend a lot of time imagining what I would do with my lottery winnings - pay off student loans, pay off family debts, buy a house...

Most of us have a love/hate relationship with the media...sometimes we love it, sometimes we hate it (and sometimes I love to hate how I'm a part of it). Still, one of the fundamentals of most democratic societies are...

When I first read the MSNBC headline, "Woman Implanted with Wrong Embryo to Give Birth", I moved straight past it, thinking it sounded a bit too much like a supermarket tabloid to interest me. I'm glad I took a...

I was reading a CNN article about the 4 young men falsely accused of rape at Hofstra University; unsurprisingly, they described the experience as 'traumatic'. Well, yes, to say the least! Please don't get me wrong, I'm not speaking...

I think I need to take a mental break from the race question, truly frightening schoolyard violence, health care reform, civility and the handful of other topics America is getting itself enraged over this week. So, let's play a game. ...

Well, friends, I hope you'll bear with me for some good ol' Monday angsting. As we all know, it's tempting to navel-gaze, but I think that my questions for you just manage to miss the self-indulgent mark (I hope?)...Some would say...

Last weekend I returned from a lovely, restful weekend trip to San Francisco. As I boarded the red-eye back to New York, I found myself hoping that just this once, I would have the ideal flying neighbor--the non-existent one.What I...

Dental plans are the worst, aren't they? Some of you may remember my worst-date story in which I also described an accident that resulted in a mouthful of broken teeth - after paying more than half those costs out-of-pocket, I...

Personal responsibility is one of the few areas of ethics I've followed with some dedication - well, I think I've followed. I don't live my life as ethically or morally or honestly as I'd like to at times. But once...

Where does one go when they need a little Etiquette 101? Why Emily Post, of course! We're pleased to introduce Daniel Post Senning, moderator of the Emily Post Q+A blog - Etiquette Daily.com, as a new guest blogger.Our belief here...

I just have to say, completely unrelated to ethics or dilemmas, thank you Virgin America, for in-flight internet. I love multi-tasking a 5-hour journey and work! (I'm completely serious). Now, on to more interesting things. Talk about an ethical fail...

Yep. This is my high school...and my marching band (any fellow former band nerds out there?)I have to say, I loved going to high school in little ol' Sedalia, Missouri. Sure it's a small town, but small towns are the...

Three studies recently released brought a new twist to that age-old competition, man vs. woman--the question of generosity and charitable giving.The series of studies, published in the August 2009 Journal of Consumer Research, examined how men and women gave to...

You can dress a schoolyard bully in a fancy dress and put them on national television, but their true nature still manages to shine through. Anne Heche reminded me of this last week when she tore apart her ex-husband Coley...

Ok, I admit it -- I don't think I have it in me to forgive a cheater. Oh, I'm a forgiving person in general, believe you me. But forgiving a cheater? Nope, no way. Future significant others beware -- don't...

Normal 0 I agree wholeheartedly with Hillary's eloquent argument (see post below) that we should remember a person for who they are, not simply who we wanted them to be.I'd also like to add another point - I see...

If there were ever an area where the little white lie came into question, it would be online dating. Oh, you're not 6' 2" with abs of steel? Or petite with the body of a goddess? Whoops. And funny...

Comeuppance: a deserved rebuke or penalty.Well. I certainly got mine. I think I can safely say I've never intentionally been patronizing or condescending in my quest to solve my own, and others', ethical dilemmas. However, we often forget that intentions...

Compassion and ethics. Can they co-exist? I say yes, though certainly not in every situation. Take this one, for example: Today, Scottish authorities released Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the convicted Libyan "Lockerbie bomber" on compassionate grounds. Al-Megrahi was sentenced in 2001...

I was reading a former coworker's excellent blog today, MyBrownBaby, and her words struck me in ways I didn't expect - emotional, practical, and yes, even ethical. The post, "My Time to Shine: What I Love Most About Me", is...

Time to re-visit the question of Michael Vick, now that he's been signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. In my original post, I asked if--having paid his dues-- he should be welcomed back into the NFL with open arms.The reaction (on...

I know at least one of my friends will roll his eyes at this brief post. I just exited a movie and one of the first comments I made concerned how ethically-challenged (yet somehow still sympathetic) the main character was....

The burqini, a full body swimsuit, may have been created to allow Muslim women the freedom to partake in the joy of cavorting in the water alongside everyone else, but in France it's causing another flare-up in controversy over Muslim...

The workplace is fraught with ethical dilemmas, isn't it? I have a question for you: what would you do if you saw a coworker's resume - and saw that it was full of lies? I was recently asked....What if:This resume...

I came across this infertility post today. In it, the author, Melissa Ford, questioned a Dear Abby column responding to a reader on the subject of financing infertility. Ford found Dear Abby's response to be ignorant.The reader was asking for...

They say confession is good for the soul. We're going to find out, starting today, our first Failure Friday!Last Monday, Hillary debuted our new feature, "Moral Mondays", honoring those who put their words into action and act in an outstanding...

I had a conversation last night that really got me fired up. I was chatting with a friend of mine, and she mentioned an offhand comment her boss had made during a staff meeting. It irritated her and infuriated me....

Please don't call child services after you read this story.So, I'm great with saying thank-you -- I'm horrendous with a thank-you note. My poor mother tried her best, but sending out thank-you notes....well, it just never took.I dislike the sense...

Happy Moral Monday! This morning I wanted to share a story that warmed my heart when I read about it on NPR last week -- a homeless man leaving millions to several non-profits, including NPR.When NPR's Richard Siegel heard his...

A friend who tells you you've got spinach in your teeth is a friend for life, but then there's the stranger in line at the grocery store who reaches over and fixes your dangling bra strap (this has happened to...

One of the fundamentals of ethics is honesty, I'd say. Yet, I'm kind of a dishonest person. I consider myself to be basically morally sound, so why do I say this? Well, I tend to tell people what they want...

Professional sports and I do not go together like peanut butter and jelly - my eyes take on a lovely shade of "glazed" when my male friends start down the road of player stats, fantasy leagues and rankings.  But Michael...

When Hillary wrote her post about Obama speaking out on Skip Gates' arrest, I mentally applauded her for tackling the topic- from beginning to hopeful end, the whole fiasco gives me a headache.However, many of the responses to the story...

"When you become a public figure you are held to a different level of scrutiny and ethics."This was the response by Fort Myers' councilman, Tom Babcock, when questioned about the firing of town manager Scott Janke -- fired because his...

To follow-up on my post last week about the punishment for those convicted of genocide in the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, foreign affairs analyst Fareed Zakaria recently spoke with CNN about how Rwanda is actually Africa's success story. I've...

Normal 0 As a single girl, I must admit breastfeeding stories don't often catch my eye. So, please forgive me for being a little late on the "let's lynch the drunken breastfeeding mother" bandwagon.Honestly, I'm reluctant to lynch the...

Not.On Tuesday, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda sentenced a former governor of Rwanda to life imprisonment for his role in the 1994 genocide. This is the third such ruling this year; previous convictions by the U.N. court include 25...

Back in 2006, Maria del Carmen Bousada gave birth to a set of twins - at the ripe old age of 66. Three years later, she's passed away, leaving behind two young children. After Bousada became pregnant using in...

I love a good conspiracy theory. U.S. Army Maj. Stefan Frederick Cook is refusing to deploy to Afghanistan because he doesn't acknowledge President Obama as the rightful president of the United States. Cook is being represented by Orly Taitz, who...

Normal 0 Should a legal brothel be allowed to fund a man's bid for the 2012 Olympics? New Zealand's Logan Campbell says yes. The Taekwondo athlete needs $300,000 to train his way to London, and by golly, he'll do...

Normal 0 Normal 0 One of the many things I love about my friends is their unflagging enthusiasm - since I started writing for this blog, countless dinner conversations and happy hour chatter have ended with the refrain, "Hey!...

A Boston orphanage may shut down due to lack of funding, and officials estimate 20% of the children will not be placed in new homes and could be euthanized.Shocking? Yep. True? Well, no. However, substitute "orphanage" for "zoo" and "children"...

More from the "Everyone Knows This Is Unethical But Let's Enjoy a Rare Moment of Unanimity" file. Or perhaps the "Who Does That?" file.  Apparently authorities in Chicago have been conducting an investigation into graverobbers at Burr Oak Cemetery over...

Whoa now. A church in Florida is not mincing words on a sign posted on its grounds, "Islam is of the Devil". The church's pastor, Terry Jones, has no qualms about the sign, saying he plans on adding other signs to...

Last night I wrote a post relaying my discomfort and chagrin at what I considered to be an unethical gut reaction to the homage paid to Michael Jackson after his death. A few days earlier, Hillary referenced an article...

I scared myself a bit today - while I've always prided myself for being independent enough to see past the ol' Republican/Democrat divide, I've never actually experienced a time in which my gut (as opposed to my head) agreed...

Warning: This post is based on a series of assumptions. Yesterday, Sarah Palin resigned from her position as governor of Alaska. Her supporters are left reeling in confusion, and her critics are chalking this up to more bizarre behavior...

Ah love. Love with the capital L. It's great, isn't it --the natural high, the bliss, the warmth that comes from finding someone to love. Until you experience the lows - the breakups, the heartbreak, trusting your happiness in...

An editing background + ethical blogging = geeky enjoyment over this Banana Republic typo. Apparently ethics are in style this season!...

I just watched a "The More You Know" PSA with John Krasinski (aka Jim from The Office) spreading the message that while hate is passed on through generations, its effect can be diluted by showing respect. This in turn...

Normal 0 How much information are you willing to disclose to snag a job? Most companies already insist on background checks, but Bozeman, MT, is asking applicants for city positions to submit their social networking usernames and passwords. Guess...

And here we see the financial implications of ethics -- Sarah Palin says that she is more than $500,000 in debt due to "frivolous" ethics complaints brought against her by her fellow Alaskans. No doubt some of these charges are...

A few years ago, my father passed away, and since then I've tended to keep my distance from the Father's Day blitz each summer - too many bittersweet, confused feelings.  Today, however, due to work, I read President Obama's...

We've all probably sent an email from our work account to the wrong person - I once worked at a large law firm where a first year associate sent out a raucous party invite to the entire firm, including all...

I wish I could blog about the weather here in New York lately. I must say, I believe continuous rain for two weeks in June to be completely unethical!However, I'm distracted from the slow drip by other concerns. I'm on...

Yay! Sarah Palin is back, and just in time. Things were starting to get boring around here. I'm not ashamed to admit I was one of the few people sad to see the end of Palinisms. This time it's Palin...

I received quite a few comments on my recent breakup post, but one really stuck with me. A friend of mine had recently gone through a breakup herself, and the story behind it was so horrible my immediate response was,...

I was recently reminded of an incident from my early days in New York. Back then, I was surviving on a daily ration of ramen and $1 egg drop soup. I considered it my NYC diet, even though I never...

So, the hot news these days is that Leann Rimes is allegedly stalking Eddie Cibrian after their alleged affair.I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the person to ask about "hot" celebrity news. It's possible I was the...

Hillary and I promise this will be the last dating post for...well, at least a little bit. I recently went through a breakup. It was tough, especially after almost a year of this person being in my life. Blogging, however,...

You're on a first date, gazing into the eyes of the perfectly lovely (or handsome) person across from you, when they casually mention that they don't have plans to marry, ever. Or to marry someone white. Or perhaps Jewish. Or...

I'm the type of American Idol viewer who tunes in for a few songs, maybe follows one or two contestants until they're voted off, and usually misses out on all the good controversy. So I can't say that I'm the...

I recently got into a somewhat heated discussion with a close friend. It wasn't meant to be heated - I'd asked a pretty simple question, "Do you think you care more about what happens to an American vs. what happens...

Instead of the normal blog post contemplating one topic, I thought I'd share a slice of my daily internal monologue. In advance, I both warn and agree with you: Yes, I will most likely question myself into an early grave....

One of the reasons this blog came to be was a desire to be more authentic while searching for the answers to our ethical dilemmas. While we're far from the experts on how to be authentic, we are on a...

Oh the shame! I was caught, my ugly side bared on Google chat, saved to the "Chats" history for me to re-live the disgrace for eternity. Today I fell victim to my catty side, as well as to Google chat. ...

Recently when crossing the street with a friend, we both almost got flattened by a car taking a right turn on red - a no-no in New York City. My friend took a stand. "In New York City there are...

When I first heard Wanda Sykes' jokes about Rush Limbaugh this last weekend ( "I think maybe Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker. But he was just so strung out on OxyContin he missed his flight," "I hope your kidneys...

I recently fielded a call from my mother about my ring size. Though my immediate fear was that this might concern my still-unmarried status, it turns out she was more worried about my health.How does my ring size involve...

The big question that caught my eye in the news recently regards Facebook's ethical obligations. 13 countries have made Holocaust denial a crime. Personally, no matter how abhorrent I find the blatant dismissal of the Holocaust, I can't stand behind...

Standing in an especially long line at my bank yesterday, my wandering mind intersected at two points: my poor, beleaguered bank account (sob, tear) and the summer bank heist movie, Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Where did...