Comments for Social Capital Review http://socialcapitalreview.org public engagement, community empowerment, social capital Tue, 01 May 2012 13:02:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Yet another sticky-fingered caper reported at UW-Seattle by Putnam Barber http://socialcapitalreview.org/yet-another-sticky-fingered-caper-reported-at-uw-seattle/comment-page-1/#comment-21874 Putnam Barber Tue, 01 May 2012 13:02:31 +0000 http://socialcapitalreview.org/?p=15965#comment-21874 Who could question holding UW (or any other instititution, public or private) to "high standards of ethical conduct"? One problem is, though, that badly designed standards also deplete the resources available for the core work the institution exists to do by all sorts of inefficiencies and pointless complication. So institutions should be held to high standards about the ways they manage their standards, as well how well the standards are observed. All too often, sloppy design and simple inattention leave openings for troubled people and opportunistic crooks. I bet the Foster School of Business is teaching about the design of "internal controls." Good ones don't tangle hard-working people in red tape while still drawing boundaries that are hard to cross. Who could question holding UW (or any other instititution, public or private) to “high standards of ethical conduct”? One problem is, though, that badly designed standards also deplete the resources available for the core work the institution exists to do by all sorts of inefficiencies and pointless complication. So institutions should be held to high standards about the ways they manage their standards, as well how well the standards are observed. All too often, sloppy design and simple inattention leave openings for troubled people and opportunistic crooks. I bet the Foster School of Business is teaching about the design of “internal controls.” Good ones don’t tangle hard-working people in red tape while still drawing boundaries that are hard to cross.

]]> Comment on Yet another sticky-fingered caper reported at UW-Seattle by Matt Rosenberg http://socialcapitalreview.org/yet-another-sticky-fingered-caper-reported-at-uw-seattle/comment-page-1/#comment-21854 Matt Rosenberg Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:08:27 +0000 http://socialcapitalreview.org/?p=15965#comment-21854 John, the <a href="http://socialcapitalreview.org/public-data-ferret/?city%5B%5D=University+Of+Washington&topic%5B%5D=Ethics" rel="nofollow">archive</a> of UW ethics stories to which I linked actually documents a cumulative price tag of $533,000 associated with those cases, not $40,000. And this is hardly a full compendium. But it's not just about the amount of money, it's the conduct itself that warrants airing. I've got a lot of respect for all the good things UW does and the quality of the instruction and research there. UW's work in the sciences is a case in point. However, as a public institution, it should be held to high standards of ethical conduct. You seem to be advancing a line of argument that fiscal ethics are situational, depending on how much is misappropriated. I'm quite sure they teach the opposite at UW's Foster Business School. John, the archive of UW ethics stories to which I linked actually documents a cumulative price tag of $533,000 associated with those cases, not $40,000. And this is hardly a full compendium. But it’s not just about the amount of money, it’s the conduct itself that warrants airing. I’ve got a lot of respect for all the good things UW does and the quality of the instruction and research there. UW’s work in the sciences is a case in point. However, as a public institution, it should be held to high standards of ethical conduct. You seem to be advancing a line of argument that fiscal ethics are situational, depending on how much is misappropriated. I’m quite sure they teach the opposite at UW’s Foster Business School.

]]> Comment on Yet another sticky-fingered caper reported at UW-Seattle by John Hoverson http://socialcapitalreview.org/yet-another-sticky-fingered-caper-reported-at-uw-seattle/comment-page-1/#comment-21849 John Hoverson Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:43:58 +0000 http://socialcapitalreview.org/?p=15965#comment-21849 The university of washington has 40,000 employees and $4 billion in revenue and you come with $40,000 in problems. Do you think that you are an exercise in trivial thinking? The university of washington has 40,000 employees and $4 billion in revenue and you come with $40,000 in problems.

Do you think that you are an exercise in trivial thinking?

]]> Comment on Yet another sticky-fingered caper reported at UW-Seattle by Ben "Jammin" http://socialcapitalreview.org/yet-another-sticky-fingered-caper-reported-at-uw-seattle/comment-page-1/#comment-21848 Ben "Jammin" Sun, 29 Apr 2012 03:15:55 +0000 http://socialcapitalreview.org/?p=15965#comment-21848 Good going Ferret. My only thought is that there are way worse things going on to chase after with Public Records requests. WAY worse. Need ideas? Write me. Good going Ferret. My only thought is that there are way worse things going on to chase after with Public Records requests. WAY worse. Need ideas? Write me.

]]> Comment on Vashon schools eye classroom cuts to close budget gap by Public Data Ferret In The News « Social Capital Review http://socialcapitalreview.org/vashon-schools-eye-classroom-cuts-to-close-budget-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-21779 Public Data Ferret In The News « Social Capital Review Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:49:59 +0000 http://socialcapitalreview.org/?p=15830#comment-21779 [...] “Vashon Schools Eye Classroom Cuts To Close Budget Gap” [...] [...] “Vashon Schools Eye Classroom Cuts To Close Budget Gap” [...]

]]> Comment on Non-violent crime in Washington state: the data say it pays by Ryan http://socialcapitalreview.org/non-violent-crime-in-washington-state-the-data-say-it-pays/comment-page-1/#comment-21674 Ryan Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:48:35 +0000 http://socialcapitalreview.org/?p=15757#comment-21674 Not sure this data supports the headline you chose, but it was interesting none the less. It all seems rather dubious because their is no measurement of the quality of the reports of different crimes. For instance, how many car thefts were reported that were actually legal repossessions or some other misunderstanding? How many of the arrested individuals were found innocent and let go before even being charged with anything official? The cops could improve these numbers by simply arresting more innocent people, so I don't really understand the value of this metric, and I certainly don't think it proves that crime pays in Washington State, that's just simply not even a question that this data addresses at all. This data supports the idea that their are lots of reported crimes that never get solved, but who didn't already know that? Not sure this data supports the headline you chose, but it was interesting none the less. It all seems rather dubious because their is no measurement of the quality of the reports of different crimes. For instance, how many car thefts were reported that were actually legal repossessions or some other misunderstanding? How many of the arrested individuals were found innocent and let go before even being charged with anything official? The cops could improve these numbers by simply arresting more innocent people, so I don’t really understand the value of this metric, and I certainly don’t think it proves that crime pays in Washington State, that’s just simply not even a question that this data addresses at all. This data supports the idea that their are lots of reported crimes that never get solved, but who didn’t already know that?

]]> Comment on U.S. audit accents broad problems at VA’s Puget Sound hospitals by VietVet http://socialcapitalreview.org/u-s-audit-accents-broad-problems-at-vas-puget-sound-hospitals/comment-page-1/#comment-21598 VietVet Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:38:19 +0000 http://socialcapitalreview.org/?p=15653#comment-21598 I've been getting care at the Seattle VA hospital for ten years, including two cancer surgeries. My treatment there has been very good. I'm amazed, in fact, that the staff manages to keep smiling as well as they do in the face of so many angry, upset vets. It would be good if young people could visit a veteran's hospital, to see first-hand what the lasting effects of war (are) on so many men and women. If you want better care for our vets, please vote for people who aren't so eager to pull the trigger, and who are willing to pay for the real costs of such actions. I’ve been getting care at the Seattle VA hospital for ten years, including two cancer surgeries. My treatment there has been very good. I’m amazed, in fact, that the staff manages to keep smiling as well as they do in the face of so many angry, upset vets. It would be good if young people could visit a veteran’s hospital, to see first-hand what the lasting effects of war (are) on so many men and women. If you want better care for our vets, please vote for people who aren’t so eager to pull the trigger, and who are willing to pay for the real costs of such actions.

]]> Comment on U.S. audit accents broad problems at VA’s Puget Sound hospitals by Margaret http://socialcapitalreview.org/u-s-audit-accents-broad-problems-at-vas-puget-sound-hospitals/comment-page-1/#comment-21597 Margaret Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:46:27 +0000 http://socialcapitalreview.org/?p=15653#comment-21597 This is a true story. Five years ago, my brother, a Vietnam veteran and a recovering alcoholic was being treated at the Veterans Hospital in Seattle. He was taking Anti-buse. He lives in Marysville so had asked for his medicine to be mailed to him. He took one pill and after awhile told our mother he didn't feel well. That evening he took another one and got sicker. He decided to go to the hospital the next morning by bus but after getting to Seattle he collapsed and medics rushed him to Harbor View hospital. Fortunately he had the bottle of medicine with him and the Doctors at Harbor View asked him if he was diabetic because the medicine sent to him was for diabetics. It almost killed him. He wouldn't report the Pharmacist who made the mistake because he didn't want to get her in trouble. I told him he should because the pharmacist could continue to make stupid mistakes like this if someone didn't check to see if she was really competent enough to work as such an important job. This is a true story. Five years ago, my brother, a Vietnam veteran and a recovering alcoholic was being treated at the Veterans Hospital in Seattle. He was taking Anti-buse. He lives in Marysville so had asked for his medicine to be mailed to him. He took one pill and after awhile told our mother he didn’t feel well. That evening he took another one and got sicker. He decided to go to the hospital the next morning by bus but after getting to Seattle he collapsed and medics rushed him to Harbor View hospital. Fortunately he had the bottle of medicine with him and the Doctors at Harbor View asked him if he was diabetic because the medicine sent to him was for diabetics. It almost killed him. He wouldn’t report the Pharmacist who made the mistake because he didn’t want to get her in trouble. I told him he should because the pharmacist could continue to make stupid mistakes like this if someone didn’t check to see if she was really competent enough to work as such an important job.

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