CRUISING FOR AN ONLINE BRUISING

Google helped me win a barroom brawl. This 'online reputation' confrontation went down at a party. A fella showed up with an axe to grind. He insulted several revelers until we appeared ready for a throw down.

But then, inspiration hit. I jumped on a chair and announced: "Please meet Mr. So-and-So. Go ahead and Google Mr. So-and-So. You'll find fascinating stuff ..." The announcement hit 'Mr. So-and-So' the way sunlight strikes a vampire. He beat a hasty retreat.

The guy in question deserved his search engine infamy, but what if the information a search engine tosses up isn't accurate? There are ways to fight back without hiring a lawyer -- though you may have to shell out for a Web programmer.

THE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE SUPERSTAR

George Clooney or Paris Hilton – who would you rather be? They're both, as Paris would put it, "hot." But allow me to indelicately assume that most of us would rather be George the Oscar nominee.

Clooney's rise in Hollywood corresponds with another upward trajectory – that of corporate social responsibility, the notion that business can do well by doing good. This is not mere coincidence, but a function of the zeitgeist. Clooney's clout derives from his willingness to stand up for things he believes in and turn that passion into exceptional product. He wants to use his celebrity and movies like "Good Night and Good Luck" to make the world a better place.

But he doesn't shake his finger in your face, or set himself up as a shaman. Clooney is a modest maverick. At the same time, our culture has embraced corporate social responsibility. Many in the business world want to use their resources to improve society. Some of the most successful take a modest, no-bull approach that's positively Clooney-esque.

Billy's Blog

We have lots to say, and the blog is on its way. In the meantime, here are samples of how we think: