When the Securities and Exchange Commission leveled its complaint against Goldman Sachs for manipulating the financial markets, it was quickly clear that while the legal and political consequences of the case against Goldman Sachs drew most of the public’s attention, but it was the cultural fallout that would be the more meaningful legacy of the case.

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A former Fleishman Hillard colleague, Peter Verrengia, has written a take on privacy worth noting, whether you are steeped in the subject or just now coming to grips with the danger misuse of customer data represents.

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A snappy bumper sticker can help move a product, a candidate or an idea.  Better is a track record of delivering on the promise of the phrase.  Best is when every action of a company is aligned behind it.  Toyota has long stood as a leading example of the best.  Look no further than this from the LA Times:

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In the New York Times Magazine’s annual look at the year in ideas was this bit of business about adding sound to silence:

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Let’s start small.  A recent article on the national health care debate posted to the trade website, www.insurancejournal.com, included this eye-catching bit of business:  “The 2,074-page health care bill includes a range of items that some say could be time bombs in waiting for some agencies – or new opportunities” for insurance agents and brokers.

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Politico asked this question today: “What if George W. Bush had done that?”  The post chronicled a list of actions (and lack of action) for which for former President was excoriated, but the for which the current President avoided criticism.

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It will likely only last for a few days, but the back-and-forth over the self-dealing of Burson-Marsteller president Mark Penn by building business on the back of a column written for the Wall Street Journal has the look of mock outrage.

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The Wall Street Journal recently noted that “Companies are using fewer advisers for mergers and acquisitions than at any point since 2001, as they look to cut costs amid the downturn…”   It saves money, sure, but it also is more likely to surface acquisition candidates that are better known to the company.

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The shooting deaths of Steve McNair and Sahel Kazemi in Nashville early Saturday morning were far more startling than the death days earlier of Michael Jackson.  In context, the King of Pop had long lived a life outside the lines.  The former All-Pro quarterback of the Tennessee Titans had lived well, literally, inside the lines.

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Recent news of Steve Jobs’ return to work at Apple has reignited the debate over his company’s secretive nature.  After all, the world was told his leave of absence was time to deal with “hormonal abnormalities,” but then it was revealed that he had a liver transplant.  What are we to think?

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