This Week: Ethics in the News

Highlights from some of the week's top ethics news stories.


Obamacare Upheld / Supreme Court Verdict
This just in: [Updated at 10:57 a.m. ET] A key quote here in the decision:

"The Federal Government does not have the power to order people to buy health insurance. Section 5000A would therefore be unconstitutional if read as a command. The Federal Government does have the power to impose a tax on those without health insurance. Section 5000A is therefore constitutional, because it can reasonably be read as a tax," Roberts said in his opinion

read more......CNN - Live Blog
read more......NYT - Supreme Court Health Care Decision



Sandusky Sentenced
Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State defensive coordinator was convicted on 45 of the 48 sexual abuse counts that were brought against him. The verdict was reached by a jury late Friday after days of emotional and explicit testimony by eight of Sandusky's victims. He has since stated through a member of his defense team that he will appeal the convictions.      
read more......CNN - Attorney: Sandusky to Appeal Child Sex Abuse Convictions
read more......CBS - Jerry Sandusky Trial: Inside the Charges and Sentences He Faces

CBS News

Obama / Dramatic Immigration Decision
This week Obama bypassed Congress and made a decision to "extend administrative relief" to around 800,000 young undocumented immigrants. The new rule contends that immigrants who have been in the US since before they were16 without criminal charges can stay. Obama is getting pushback from Republicans for singlehandedly making the decision. He is also getting pushback from activists who say that he isn't doing enough.  
read more....LA Times - Obama's Immigration Move Wins Support in Battleground States
read commentary from Marco Rubio..... Huffington Post - Marco Rubio: Obama Immigration Policy "Injects" Politics into Debate

Neuroscience / Memory 
Scientists at Emory's Yerkes National Primate Research Center have recently published a ground breaking study that correlates experiences with memories. Scientists exposed rats to sounds and light shocks and were able to test the memories of those experiences. In this way, they are gaining better understandings of the "molecular basis of memory."   
read more......Emory Report - When Being Scared Twice is Enough to Remember
read an op-ed.....Botswana Gazette - Rio + 20 Conference

Location of the amygdala

UN Conference on Sustainable Development / Rio de Janeiro

This week marked the largest conference that the UN has ever held with 50,000 attendees from 190 countries. The Conference on Sustainable Development was held in Rio de Janeiro marking the 20th anniversary of the Earth Summit. Of the dozens of goals made at the Earth Summit, the UN reports that four have been met. This conference produced a 283-paragraph agreement entitled "The Future We Want" and pledges of $513 billion to get there. Many delegates, including President Obama and representatives from international non-profit organizations, voiced their disappointment with the effectiveness of the conference. 

read more......NYT - Progress on the Sidelines as Rio Conference Ends

read the agreement......The Future We Want : Outcome Document Adopted at Rio + 20

Sustainability.com

Modern Day Slavery: Memory | Power | Scope

There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today, 500,000 of whom are sex slaves. As a transportation hub, 200-300 slaves are trafficked in Georgia every month. (figures gathered from CNN Freedom Project)

Reading through this information I felt waves of shock and deep sadness. I had been ignorant of this issue until I watched The Exit, a documentary film produced by a young woman from this year’s Ethics and Servant Leadership Forum. As I found out more, a few memories became vivid in my mind that helped me, in a small way, get closer to understanding. These memories somehow make the realities of human trafficking more tangible. I am looking through the muddled tragedy of my ignorance to see a few clear answers.

Vulnerability      

When I was eighteen years old I started college in Los Angeles. I was eager to make friends and perhaps too trusting. I met a guy on an airplane who ran a leadership academy for corporations at hotels in the LA area. He invited me to participate and I met him at a hotel in Anaheim. After the program he asked me to help him grab a few things from his room. He locked the door and tried to make inappropriate advances. I turned him down and managed to get out. This could have turned into a different situation if he were more forceful, if I were more desperate, or if I didn’t have a support system. For the 500,000 women that become sex slaves, only about half are abducted by strangers. Forty-six percent of these women are wooed by men they already know or are sold by their families.

Hidden Populations

In Vietnam, my brother and I decided to get foot massages. We were led into a dim room with two female masseurs. As we got up to leave they closed the door and turned towards us asking if we wanted any sexual services. We didn’t know how to handle the situation besides refusing and leaving. What disturbed me the most was that I didn’t know if these women were working of their own volition - and if they were, what would it mean for it to be their choice? One of the biggest problems that researchers and journalists face is that today’s slave populations are intentionally hidden and nearly impossible to account for. We may never know if some of the people we interact with everyday are working in unjust conditions.

Normalization of Slavery

I had an economics professor once who spent time teaching about illicit markets. He spoke of sex slavery as though it was unavoidable in our current global capitalist system. He included a crude joke about prostitution in his lecture. In my opinion, there were two injustices happening. The first was a jaded disillusionment that goes with most western economic thinking that blocks any call for change. The second injustice was the joke. Even professors can use jokes as a way to make something evil seem okay, therefore, perpetuating the evil.

Problems in Education

As a tutor this year, I witnessed children playing a game they called “slavery” on the playground. They were acting out some of the information they had learned in class about slavery. I was only made aware of exactly what was going on by a child who reported the game because it made her feel uncomfortable. Through the game they had created, the children were isolating their peers by perpetuating negative power dynamics. I told the children to stop. This game made it clear to me that younger generations are growing up ignorant of how the past connects to the present.

Although I escaped from the man in the hotel room, I confronted the professor about his remarks, I refused the sexual services of the masseurs in Vietnam, and I stopped the slavery game on the playground, I still feel powerless. I feel powerless because of the many people who do not have the power to say no. For those of us who have the power to say no - is saying no enough?

CNN Freedom Project

National Geographic - 21st Century Slaves

Siddharth Kara - Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Day Slavery

Kevin Bales - Global Slavery: A Reader

Koblentz Explores Corporate Ethics Through "Privileged Conversations" Video Series

In hopes of generating conversation with business leaders about business and corporate ethics as well as executive leadership Joel M. Koblentz created the “Privileged Conversations” series in partnership with the Center for Ethics. Koblentz is the Founding and Senior Partner of The Koblentz Group, a “firm specializing in senior level executive search, boards of director search, and the evaluation of key senior management.”

Waajid, Anderson, and Mackey preparing the set for Mangum interview

Koblentz initiated his series with an interview with the Center’s director, Dr. Paul Root Wolpe, and most recently invited Mylle Mangum to participate.  

Mangum, an accomplished individual in the corporate world, currently serves as the chief executive officer of IBT Enterprisers, LLC, the chairman and chief executive officer of IBT Holdings, and was appointed to the Express, Inc. Board of Directors in 2010. Some of Mangum’s other board memberships include her role as former Director of Reynold’s Metal Company, Inc., Director and member of Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee of Respironics Inc., as well as Director, Chairman of Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Committee, and member of Executive Committee of Haverty Furniture Companies Inc. Her many years of expertise and success in the marketing field designated Mangum as an ideal candidate to provide insight for the series.

Koblentz believed that partnering with the Center for Ethics on the series would be vital. “We believe that ethics is of essential importance to the way leaders should make decisions,” discussed Koblentz. “In many cases individuals who make these decisions find themselves in ethical dilemmas.”

In a way, this partnership allows Koblentz to utilize the intellectual capital of the Center and bring up ethical dilemmas with business leaders. Regardless of whatever influences may exist, the decisions leaders make must be consistent and in line with the expectations of the stakeholder. Though Koblentz has found very few business leaders that are unethical, complicated issues do arise that can cause some confusion. With that being the case, Koblentz found this to be one of the primary reasons to create “Privileged Conversations.”

“The first reason is that business is inherently complicated,” Koblentz explained. “And to hear the point of view of leaders is valuable.” Yet he also points out that extending oneself beyond the focus of a particular field can provide alternative points of view. This brought Koblentz to his second reason for the series: “Business leaders can learn quite a lot from leaders in other fields. We think taking a mélange of these points of view will help business leaders make better decisions from seeing an issue from a variety of views.”

Once Koblentz has completed the series, an archive of over half a dozen interviews with executive members of various fields will be available online. More information regarding  “Privileged Conversations” will be coming soon. 

Paul Root Wolpe in Nature - Journal of Science

Grant Review Opens Up Texas-Sized Rift:
big money and big ambitions roil State's research efforts
by Meredith Wadman

Source: CPRIT

Paul Root Wolpe, Director of the Center for Ethics at Emory, was recently quoted in Nature, the International Weekly Journal of Science.

Nonetheless, appearances can be problem­atic, says Paul Root Wolpe, director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. “An absolutely unassailable process is desirable,” he opines. “Greater pains should have been taken to avoid any appearance of favouritism.”

Read the full article by clicking here.  

This Week: Ethics in the News

Highlights from some of the week's top ethics news stories.


Prenatal Testing Technology
Researchers at the University of Washington have recently devised a technique to predict the genetic code of fetuses. The test is done with blood samples from the mother and saliva samples from the father. This new technology would enable doctors to screen unborn infants for up to 3,500 genetic disorders. This technological breakthrough comes with ethical questions and conflicts over abortion.     
read an op-ed......NYT - Before Birth-Dad's ID
watch the video on CNN with Toby Schonfeld......CNN - New Test for Gauging a Baby's DNA Code

White House Leak
The White House is being investigated this week under allegations that Obama administration officials leaked classified information to the press about anti-terrorism strategies. Obama has been called the "executioner-in-chief" and has been criticized for unethical killing of terrorists by drones. Critics also claim that the Obama administration is intentionally leaking information for what might become an advantage in November's elections. 
read more....CNN - FBI Looks Into Possible White House Leaks
read more..... Huffington Post - White House Leaks: Eric Holder Appoints 2 Prosecutors to Lead Investigations

Religious Conflict in Myanmar
This week in Myanmar clashes between religious groups turned deadly. A twenty-seven year old Buddhist woman was believed to have been raped and killed by a Muslim man. A group of Rakhine Buddhists retaliated by dragging ten Rohingya Muslim men off a bus and killing them. This sparked riots across the country. Many people along the western coast have left their homes. The Rohingya Muslim group is a minority group whose members are regarded as illegal immigrants in Myanmar.  
read more......NYT - Myanmar Conflict Spurs Hatred for Asia's Outcasts
read an op-ed.....CNN - Conflicts Between Rakhine Communities and Rohingya in Western Myanmar

Zimmerman's Wife is Charged 
Georgia Zimmerman is back behind bars. A new chapter has opened in the case that has been in the national spotlight since the shooting of Trayvon Martin in February. Zimmerman and his wife told the court they were indigent which influenced the verdict and the conditions of the sentence. Zimmerman's bond was set and he posted to get out of jail. Prosecutors are now using phone calls between the couple to prove that they were speaking in code about their finances and in fact had received tens of thousands dollar in donations for his bond. They are both awaiting trial on perjury charges. 
read more......CNN - Prosecutors: Jail Phone Transcripts Show Zimmerman, Wife Talking Finances in Code

read more about the aftermath......Boston Herald - George Zimmerman's Wife Had $57,000 in Account, Records Show

Source: USA Today

More or less human: How can a dog brain imaging study and companion animal neuroscience explain my human-ness?

“It was amazing to see the first brain images of a fully awake, unrestrained dog,” Berns said. “As far as we know, no one has been able to do this previously. We hope this opens up a whole new door for understanding canine cognition and inter-species communication. We want to understand the dog-human relationship, from the dog’s perspective.”—Greg Berns, MD, PhD

Recently, the Emory laboratory of Dr. Greg Berns published the first fMRI brain imaging study in unanesthetized dogs.  Popular media reports of the study touting, “What is your dog thinking?” and “Brain Scans Reveal Dogs’ Thoughts” have raised the hackles of the public who ask, “Why conduct a frivolous scientific study on something we already know?”

Read more here

This blog was originally posted on The Neuroethics Blog by Karen Rommelfanger

This Week: Ethics in the News

Highlights from some of the week's top ethics news stories.


Recall Election
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is still the Governor. State workers submitted a petition for a recall election because of Walker's campaign to end collective bargaining rights for unions. The election took place this past Tuesday and ended in a close margin of 53% to 46%. The loser, Tom Barrett, is a Democrat who ran against Walker in 2010. Union organizers vow to remain active and many blame the victory on disproportionate campaign finance. Walker received millions of dollars of contributions from GOP donors outside of the state.    
read more and watch video......USA Today - Wisconsin Voters Keep Walker After Recall Election
read post-election commentary......CBS - Public Sector Unions in Crosshairs After Recall Election

Scott Walker Casts His Vote, Source: The Blaze

Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Defeat
Edith Windsor was denied social security benefits after her partner passed away because of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). She has sued the US Government for her losses and the case has been used to set an example for similar cases. The movement against DOMA seems to be gaining momentum. Eight US states permit same sex marriage, five US Judges have found the law to be unconstitutional,  and President Obama has been the first president in history to voice his support of same sex marriages. The Supreme Court may soon take on this issue for the first time in history. 
read more....Reuters - Defense of Marriage Act Unconstitutional - Judge
read more..... Washington Post - Defense of Marriage Act Unconstitutional Federal Appeals Court Declares

Source: Human Rights Campaign

Protests in Russia
Thousands of protestors hit the streets in Moscow calling for fresh elections and a new president. A few of the activists have had their homes searched and have been called in for questioning. The protest happened the day after a rash of police crack downs on activists. Putin is set on dispelling the protests calling them "social waves" and imposing steep fines on protestors. The protestors main slogans were "Putin is a thief" and "Russia without Putin." 
read more......BBC - Russia Protests: Putin Opponents March in Moscow
read an op-ed.....The Economist -Protests in Russia: Building Up the Castle Wall
read opinions from Moscow......Moscow Echo

Activist Leader Sergei Udaltsov, Source: National Post

Health
Soda Ban 
The Bronx has recently been called "ground zero" for the national obesity epidemic. One in three people in the borough are obese. Doctors at the local Montefiore Medical Center spoke out about an overload of hypertension and diabetes cases. Mayor Mike Bloomberg has taken the lead on the ban and been criticized for creating a "nanny-state" and trying to over-regulate individual autonomy.   
read more......NYT - Obesity Ills That Won't Budge Fuel Soda Battle by Bloomberg

read more about the aftermath......CBS - Bloomberg Soda Ban: Board of Health Eyes Popcorn and Milkshakes

Ethics, Enron, and the Work Environment: A Conversation with Kelly Boots

“Whatever your career path is you will run into situations, it’s guaranteed, that will make you uncomfortable” explains former Enron executive, Kelly Boots, who met the Ethics and Servant Leadership (EASL) Summer Interns during their weekly group meeting last Friday. Boots, a Vice President of Marketing and Finance of the Enron Corporation from 1997-2003, joined the EASL interns in hopes of enlightening this group on ethical approaches to responding to sordid situations in the work environment.

As someone who faced the consequences of a scandal as an innocent bystander, Boots has learned the importance of taking action against wrongful acts that may cause harm to others. She adds, “If there is something you feel uncomfortable with, it probably isn’t right. What do you do with that? You figure out the best way to move forward and deal with it.”

Boots’ experience with Enron has had more of an impact on her life than anything as a result of the tremendous amount of time and resources exhausted. Although she was very proud to be involved with the company and of their involvement with the community, Boots found that what makes or breaks the work experience is the people that she works with. She emphasized the importance of maintaining an inner group and surrounding oneself with people that can be trusted.

Photo by Business Insider

Working closely together throughout the duration of the summer, EASL interns were reminded by Boots not to “underestimate the value of a small group and sharing [with each other].” With the alliance of an inner group, one can go forth with their job in an honest and ethical way, holding each other accountable.

Boots finished up her discussion with the interns by advising that as they move forward with their lives to always strive to do their best in an honest and ethical way. She provided students with a "Top Ten" list, which presents ethical principles individuals should try to abide by in a work environment. As grave consequences can result from bad decisions made by those in leadership positions, one should always consider all of the possible consequences and be open to criticism that might challenge their choices. "Think about the impact you can have on others with your decisions," Boots adds. "You are going to be in positions to influence people in your life." 

EASL students discussing at a weekly meeting
Photo by Mariangela Jordan

Joseph Shea, one of the EASL interns that attended Boots’ guest lecture, found this lesson in consequences of immoral actions to be eye opening. “I felt like the presentation showed me that my own code of ethics and integrity can be compromised by the actions of others with whom I'm involved even if I never compromise them myself,” Shea explained. “This, though, drove home the point that I think was at the core of Ms. Boots' talk--be as careful, transparent, and honest as possible while constantly questioning the processes around you and holding them to high moral and ethical standards."

As a society, Boots believes it is inevitable that ethical dilemmas will continue to arise in all realms of the working environment. However, she considers everyone to be inherently good and, given the right situation, people will do the right thing. “I am still optimistic especially when I get to participate in a group like this.”

Boots is currently working in Atlanta, GA at Firstline Media and Public Relations as the Public Relations Production Manager. 

Dr. Toby Schonfeld on CNN - New Test for Gauging a Baby's DNA

Dr. Toby Schonfeld, Director of the Master of Arts in Bioethics Program at the Center for Ethics, answers questions about testing a baby's DNA code in-utero. There are a number of ethical considerations for this new technology that could revolutionize how doctors monitor pregnancy and change the way people think about abortion.  

Focus: Science and Advocacy Against Animal Captivity

ETHICS IN THE NEWS - FOCUS

One news story brought into focus through a Q & A session with an expert at the Center for Ethics

Today's Focus is with Dr. Lori Marino who talks about ethical considerations in regards to the animal captivity industry.

The stories of two captive animals have hit national and international headlines recently. The first story, covered in a recent Ethics in the News post, is about a chimpanzee in a Swedish zoo named Santino. Over time, the thirty-two year old dominant male began hurling projectiles at zoo goers. His actions give fascinating clues about animal self-awareness to scientists. He is also sending (hurling) a clear message that challenges the ethics of animal captivity. Recently at the Georgia Aquarium an infant beluga whale died within days of birth. The story was covered in last week’s Ethics in the News post. The Aquarium has released public statements emphasizing the normality of infant death for belugas. Many scientists believe the death was directly related to the stress of captivity for Maris, the mother. Both of these stories uniquely contest the animal captivity industry.

Dr. Lori Marino

            Dr. Lori Marino asks questions like, if animals and humans are self-aware individuals, I look at animals in captivity and wonder - would I want to be locked in a cement tank? Below is an excerpt from a conversation with Dr. Marino. She is a neuroscientist and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Emory and a faculty affiliate at the Center for Ethics. She has spent the past two decades researching and teaching about the relationship between humans and non-human individuals. As an advocate for the ethical treatment of animals, she has shared critical insights about the animal captivity industry.

Could you talk about how the Georgia Aquarium reacted to the recent loss?

The Georgia Aquarium is a money-making business. It’s a commercial business and they are going to be very sensitive to what the public thinks of them. Whenever something bad happens, like the loss of this infant, they will try to put it in the best light possible for the sake of the Aquarium’s reputation. The problem is that when they do that, they are leaving out critical pieces of information or trying to confuse the public with explanations that aren’t relevant.

What information is getting left out or muddled?

Maris and her baby, Source: AJC

            The medical issues that resulted in the loss of this baby and their loss of other belugas and whale sharks are all issues that have to do with captivity. To be more specific, Maris was born in captivity and she doesn’t know how to be a mother. She gave birth under highly artificial circumstances. To say that somehow this infant death is a natural occurrence for a first time beluga mom is misleading. First time mothers in the wild are subject to high infant mortality because of pollutants and toxins in the water that are transferred to the first-born when nursing. Barring pollution, belugas know how to take care of their babies. At the Georgia Aquarium pollution wasn’t her problem at all. She wasn’t subject to pollutants and toxins. The Aquarium skirted around the artificiality of the circumstance. It’s very important from an ethical point of view to be honest with the public, especially if you’re claiming to be in the business of educating the public.

           

Are the stories about Maris and Santino related?

            They are related in the sense that these individuals can’t do much about their situation. They are stuck there. I know from years of studying the peer reviewed literature, captivity is devastating. Animals don’t live long healthy lives in captivity. There is little they can do about being in captivity short of losing the will to live.

What Santino is doing is interesting. Scientifically, he is showing the ability to do complex foreplanning. Santino is making a statement. He doesn’t want to be there or to be gawked at by people. I don’t know exactly what’s going on in his mind. But what he seems to be saying is - stop looking at me. He’s not welcoming the crowd. He’s doing something about his captivity and throwing rocks is one of the clearest statements anyone can make.

What do Santino’s actions say about the direction of scientific research in this field?

Santino and his projectiles, Source: ScienceMag

He’s gotten a lot of attention for a few reasons. His behavior has impacted our scientific understandings of chimpanzee cognitive capacity. This is a special case because we recognize that he has the option of doing anything he wants and he is choosing to do something that is an obvious statement.   

I did some noninvasive work with chimpanzees at Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory many years ago.  Anyone that works with chimpanzees knows they like to throw things, sometimes feces or food, and they like to spit. Behind bars they have a sense of themselves as being not in control. What is different about Santino is the clear longterm foreplanning on his part.

Santino is saying - get me out of here. From an ethics point of view, it’s not so much about the fact that he can plan ahead. Santino’s actions provoke ethical minded people to ask questions like: what is he trying to communicate? Is this something that we really need to take seriously? What is causing him to spend so much time to make this statement?

Has there been any improvement in the treatment of animals in the last few decades?

I believe there has been very little improvement in the treatment of animals. We still have chimpanzees in captivity. We still have dolphins and whales in captivity. Advocates keep trying to change things. What we do see is a change in the mindset of the public. Universities are still keeping primates captive and the Georgia Aquarium is still keeping dolphins and whales captive but the public is starting to become much more aware of animal treatment.

I’m a faculty member at the Center for Ethics because we need to start extending ethical consideration to other animals. Some call this topic the last forefront of rights and ethics (although we still have a long way to go in terms of human-to-human ethics). The public will decide what the future will look like for these animals.

Was there a particular moment that launched you into animal advocacy?

The moment I decided this had to be a priority in my professional life was about ten years ago. I co-authored a paper on dolphin self-recognition in which we found that bottlenose dolphins recognize themselves in mirrors. It was a seminal paper because it was the first definitive demonstration of mirror self-recognition in a non-primate. I received a lot of letters from activists and advocates who encouraged me to use the publicity as an opportunity to speak out for dolphins.  After the buzz from the article died down the two dolphins we worked with were transferred to another aquarium and died of diseases that are common to captive dolphins. That hit hard.

Their deaths made me think about whether we should be keeping self-aware individuals in concrete tanks. Their sensitivities are not unlike our own. I wouldn’t want to be kept in captivity. From there on, I didn’t do any more work with captive animals. I was determined to use my expertise to somehow help them. These revelations compelled me to change the nature of my research and professional life and devote a lot of my time to science-based advocacy. What I teach my students now is that scientists can also be advocates. They shouldn’t let anyone tell them otherwise. 

This Week: Ethics in the News

Highlights from some of the week's top ethics news stories.


National / Employment
Unemployment benefits are getting cut short in many states including a few key swing states. Congress has recently attached limitations to the ninety-nine week unemployment benefits. With unemployment rates across the country staying at around seven percent, this means that thousands of people will lose out on benefits they had expected. Employment issues like these are certainly big ticket items in the presidential campaign.   
read more......New York Magazine - Long-Term Unemployment Benefits Ending Early in Some Battleground States
read more......NYT - U.S. Winds Down Longer Benefits for the Unemployed
read about local impact.......AJC - Sustained Unemployment Rises

New York Times, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Europe / Racism at Sporting Events
There has been a backlash this year against racism at European soccer tournaments.  This year's Union of European Football Association (UEFA) cup is to be hosted by Poland and Ukraine. Soccer tournaments in Europe have become infamous because of racism from fans and players. The UEFA President Michel Platini has issued warnings that if racism occurs there will be fines or games will be held behind closed doors. Fans and players are to report any incident to referees. Widespread awareness of this problem was sparked by a BBC documentary entitled "EURO 2012: Stadiums of Hate." 
read more about the candidates....Reuters - Soccer-Euro-Platini Tells Players to Let Referees Handle Racism
read more..... The Jakarta Post - Kiev, Warsaw Protest Euro 2012 Racism Accusation
watch BBC video....BBC - EURO 2012: Stadiums of Hate

New UEFA Campaign, Source: CNN

International Criminal Court Verdict
Charles Taylor was sentenced by the International Criminal Court to fifty years in a British prison. Taylor is the first war criminal to be indicted since World War II.  He served from 1999-2003 as the President of Liberia. During most of that time, he "supplied and encouraged" soldiers and militants to perform atrocious war crimes. These conflicts, mostly over diamonds and diamond mining resources, included neighboring Sierra Leone.   
read more......CNN - Charles Taylor Sentenced to 50 Years for War Crimes
read more from a Catholic perspective.....BBC - Liberia ex-Leader Charles Taylor Gets 50 Years in Jail

Neuroscience 
With the help of neuro-technology two people who were not able to use their limbs have been able to guide a robot arm to reach for and grasp objects with their brain activity. The participants, known as Cathy and Bob, had suffered strokes that caused loss of speech and motor skills. Scientists implanted recording devises that were made up of "100 hair thin electrodes" that recorded neural signals in the motor cortex of the brain. These signals represented the brain's intention to move and were transmitted to the robotic arm.  
read more......Nature - Mind-Controlled Robot Arms Shows Promise

read more about Georgia whale......CBS - Paralyzed Woman Uses Mind-Control Technology to Operate Robotic Arm

Cathy, Source: Braingate2.org