American Splendor: I’ve recommended American Splendor before, but it just won the National Society of Film Critics award for best movie of 2003, which gives me an excuse to recommend it again. Go see it.
Archive | December, 2004
Affirmative action bake sales made real:
I bet you thought the campus “affirmative action bake sales,” in which anti-race-preferences students sold cookies for a high price to white and Asian students, and a lower price to black and Hispanic students, were just a way to make a political point. It turns out that this is happening in earnest, with much more […]
WINE WARS–COUNTING TO 5:
Tomorrow, of course, is oral argument in the wine cases. In thinking of how the cases will come out (and hence what ot look for in oral argument), the test is always to try to figure out how 5 votes line up one way or the other. It seems to me that in trying to […]
Posner on Preventive War:
Richard Posner’s first post on his new blog is now up, and everybody seems to be linking to it, so I guess I will, too. It’s not exactly earth-shattering stuff this week. Posner points out that from a state’s perspective, the cost-benefit analysis of a preemptive war may justify a preventive war even when the […]
Privilege for Me But Not For Thee:
The New York Sun contains an interesting article on the role of blogs in arguments about whether courts should recognize a reporter’s privilege. Among other things, it presents an interesting example of how the practical implications of legal rules shape whether judges will adopt them. The lawyers for the media groups want to define a […]
New Supreme Court Government Employee Speech Decision:
Marty Lederman (SCOTUSblog) blogs about it.
Lots of Interesting Posts
up right now at CrimProf Blog.
Audio of Supreme Court Justices Explaining Their Own Opinions:
I was listening to NPR this morning, enjoying Nina Totenberg’s preview of today’s argument in Miller-El v. Dretke, when I was rather startled to hear the voice of Justice Kennedy explaining his own 2003 opinion from an earlier round of the case, Miller-El v. Cockrell. Supreme Court Justices don’t go on NPR to explain their […]
Chemerinsky’s Changed Tune on Filibusters
In yesterday’s L.A. Times, law professors Erwin Chemerinsky (Duke) and Michael Gerhardt (William & Mary) argue against Republican proposals to eliminate the availability of filibusters for judicial nominations. This so-called “nuclear option,” Chemerinsky and Gerhardt write, would be “a cynical exercise of raw power and not based on constitutional principle or precedent.” Elimination of the […]
“Jesus Really Had it in for Me Today”:
The winning lottery ticket in the Mega Millions jackpot has been turned in, and not by the woman who claimed to have lost it. The apparent real winner told the media: ”One thing I want to make clear: Luck had nothing to do with it. It was truly a blessing, truly a blessing,” she said. […]
Basketbrawl Update:
There will be an arbitration hearing this week to review NBA Commissioner David Stern’s suspensions of Indiana Pacers players involved in the Nov. 19 brawl in Detroit. The NBA contends that there is no legal basis for the hearing, however, and has apparently filed suit in federal district court to prevent a negative arbitration ruling. […]
Taxes that Aren’t Paid by Taxpayers?
A story in today’s New York Times about the federal Superfund progra observes: “Since 1995, when Congress did not renew a special tax on polluters, the cleanup money has come entirely from taxpayers.” Huh? The money in Superfund always came from “taxpayers” — that is, it has always come from those paying taxes. One might […]
William & Mary vs. George Mason:
Hate to kick a rival when it’s down (Ed: Yeah, right!), but if you are a pre-law student trying to decide between William & Mary and GMU law school, you should read this. For that matter, so should anyone considering attending W & M in another department, or who is considering an academic position there. […]
You Can’t Say That! News: The Washington Times carried a nice review last week, and the book’s ideas received their first discussion in Abkhazia (a Russian-speaking breakaway region of Georgia). UPDATE: Reader Jonathan Kulick informs me that most Abkhazians are ethnic Abkhazes and their first language is Abkhaz, though they speak Russian as well.
Simpsons Resource:
I just found an incredible resource for fans of The Simpsons. Check out the episode guide for one of my favorite episodes, “Like Father, Like Clown” (in which Krusty is reunited with his estranged rabbi father). The detail is incredible (though a few of the Yiddish translations are questionable). Also incredible is the site’s “freeze […]