As we write this column, the news is full of dire articles about the impending U.S. default on its loan obligations. The great debate over our budget has us musing about the meaning of the term “full faith and credit” . . . especially how it relates to the ethics of selling in today’s business climate. Read more...

"Mistakes." Now that’s a word that not only describes the Madoff mess (sayonara, Bernie!), but also the recent history of our economy. But the question now is, have all the guilty parties—from the Wall St. titans to the corner mortgage brokers to the Washington politicians to the overly ambitious homebuyers—learned enough from the past to not repeat their mistakes in the future? Read more...

Psst, can you keep a secret? If so, you may be one of the few people left who can. Consider these trends:

1. There’s the Wikileaks phenomenon, in which a so-called non-profit releases government documents by the truckload, unmindful of collateral damage to diplomats, soldiers, and non-governmental organization (NGO) staff.

2. We have celebrities and former politicians publishing “kiss-and-tell” books and tweeting on Twitter, savaging former colleagues to generate buzz and cash. Read more...