Archive | December, 2004

“Give me a place to stand, and I can move the earth.” It seems that the same principle of physics also applies to tipping over trucks, as this series of photographs dramatically illustrates. (Hat tip: The Right Coast)   UPDATE: Several readers point out that the last of the pictures is a fake. The invaluable Snopes.com […]

The Electronic Privacy Information Center has published a list of consumer privacy tips. Among those on the list: request a free copy of your credit report. All Americans are now entitled to a free credit report from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies, Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union. You can engage in a […]

Should students feel free to blog about what their professors say in class? How about out of class? Jeff Rosen’s recent New York Times article raised the question, and it has led to some interesting discussion in the blogosphere. See Will Baude’s take on the issue here, and Michael Froomkin’s here.   I have mixed views […]

A reader writes, apropos my recent post on parody and fair use, Dear Mr. Copyright Expert, So Ghettopoly loses while “The Wind Done Gone” prevails. Is there a principle at work here other than measuring your revulsion and working backwards to get the desired result? I can see why people are sometimes cynical about judges’ […]

Notes from the (Legal) Underground has a very interesting post today on the details of a defamation suit filed by a former judge about claims made against him in an election campaign for a seat on the Illinois Supreme Court. Thanks to Howard for the link. UPDATE: Jim Copland of the Manhattan Institute offers a […]

Publius asks, “Where’s the outrage?”   I have enabled comments.   UPDATE: New rule on comments: if your comment is not civil and respectful, I am going to delete it. You may have the greatest point in the world, but if you can’t figure out how to express it in a calm and respectful way, don’t express […]

Several readers pointed out to me that Allen Ginsberg had much to say about Moloch — which, to remind people, is what the MS Word spell checker changes Sasha’s, Benjamin’s, and my last name to. This makes me realize that Allen Ginsberg must have actually been writing about us, but his spell-checker screwed things up. […]

I should be on MSNBC’s Abrams Report today, debating about the Second Amendment. I’m not sure whether it will be live or taped, but I’ll be doing the taping at 3:15 pm Pacific.

In an earlier post, I complained that Microsoft Word’s spell-checker suggested that “Volokh” be changed to “Moloch.” I wasn’t wild about the connection to a spiny-scaled lizard (“Moloch horridus”) and especially not to a god to whom the Phoenicians and Canaanites supposedly sacrificed children. But Seth Goldman points out the deep truth underlying Word’s suggestion! […]

Stephen Bainbridge. Stephen asks me whether he can get away with posting fan fiction that crosses Elric of Melniboné (created by Michael Moorcock) with Anita Blake (of Laurell Hamilton’s Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series). I’d counsel against it. The fan fiction would use enough of the Moorcock and Hamilton material — enough character attributes and […]

Yes, you might think that’s an oxymoron, but it really is pretty amusing. See here for an excerpt and a pointer to the PDF file.

Presidential pardons historically have provided a critical safety valve in the federal criminal justice system. Today, though, that is no longer true.   Throughout American history, Presidents issued pardons in a measurable chunk of federal criminal cases. (Statistics available here and here.) Back when only a few thousand federal criminal cases were charged each year, Presidents […]

The New York Times offers an audio/video report here.

is now available on amazon.com, though they say it takes 1 to 2 weeks for delivery. If you want personalized copies, follow the instructions here; I have only copy left right now (24 have been bought since I got the box Friday), but the publisher says that 30 more are on their way. And remember, […]