The 82nd Annual Academy Awards airs tonight. Five songs were nominated for Best Original Song, but none of the artists will perform on the program — perhaps because this year’s nominees are a bit underwhelming. Which song will win? Although Randy Newman penned two of the five songs, my guess is “The Weary Kind” by […]
Archive | March, 2010
The Say Hey Kid:
There was a delightful review, by Pete Hamill, in last week’s NYT Book Review, of James Hirsch’s “Willie Mays: The Life and Legend.” Can’t speak for the book, but Hamill’s little love letter to baseball in New York in the Fifties is wonderful. There never was, and never will be, anything like baseball in New […]
A Very Brief History of the Pocket
Yes, you read that right: the pocket. From the BBC (yes, you read that right too): To begin with, the definition of the word ‘pocket’ states that it is ‘a small baglike attachment’. The reason for this particular definition is that the pocket was not originally sewn into garments as it is today. In fact, […]
The Size of the Federal Government
Three statistics: Overall Gross Domestic Product of the United States: $14.2 trillion (2008 figure). Size of the Budget of the United States Government: $3.5 trillion (2009 figure). Expected Federal Budget Deficit in 2010: $1.5 trillion (Congressional Budget Office estimate). In percentage terms, the federal budget is about 25% of the GDP of the United States, […]
The Fourth Amendment, 1900-1905.
Total number of published federal court cases in which the phrase “Fourth Amendment” appeared, from January 1, 1900, to December 31, 1905: 9. Total number of published federal court cases in which the phrase “search warrant” appeared, from January 1, 1900, to December 31, 1905: 6.
Interesting Religious Accommodation Case
It’s Jama v. United States (W.D. Wash. Mar. 2, 2010): This controversy stems from a July 2006 raid of Plaintiff’s residence by federal and local law enforcement authorities. Officials were searching for evidence relating to the importation and distribution of khat, a leafy herb indigenous to the Horn of Africa and the lower Arabian Peninsula, […]
Matthew Berry for Congress
I share Orin’s enthusiasm for Matthew, and just donated to the campaign, at berry2010.com. I urge you folks to do the same. Here’s Orin’s post: My friend Matthew Berry recently announced that he is running for Congress in Northern Virginia. Specifically, he is presently running in the GOP primary in the Virginia 8th District that […]
“John Patrick Bedell: Did Right-Wing Extremism Lead to Shooting?”
So asks the Christian Science Monitor, saying that “John Patrick Bedell, whom authorities identified as the gunman in the Pentagon shooting on Thursday, appears to have been a right-wing extremist with virulent antigovernment feelings.” But — unless I’m missing something — none of the facts given in the story actually support the claim that he […]
“Divine Gift for Editing”
OK, the actual story (in the Columbus Dispatch) contains some pretty serious allegations about religious discrimination against government employees. But I did like this passage: One worker also complained that [Virginia McInerney, director of the Ohio Workers’ Compensation Council,] said the source of conflict in the office was an “inability to recognize her ‘divine gift […]
Arbitration and Class Actions
My post a month ago on AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, a case that my Mayer Brown LLP colleagues are working on, drew some interest. I therefore thought I’d also note that four amicus briefs have been filed supporting the cert petition, from CTIA–The Wireless Association (filed by former Solicitor General Paul Clement, known to […]
Scott Matheson – Excellent Nomination for the Tenth Circuit
On Wednesday, President Obama nominated University of Utah law professor Scott Matheson for the Tenth Circuit. This is the kind of kind consensus nominee for a judgeship that deserves wide support. Matheson (a colleague of mine at the law school school) has a resume that makes him a extremely well qualified for the federal bench. […]
Tales of OLC Opinions Foretold
As the Washington Post is reporting today (on page A16 in the print edition), Office of Legislative Affairs AAG Ron Weich has sent a letter to Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairperson Nydia Velazquez assuring her that the information-gathering and information-sharing provisions of the PATRIOT Act do not override the preexisting confidentiality requirements of the Census Act. […]
“Wild Sign Right Wing Christian Matte”
An oldie but goodie headline, with thanks to commenter KevinM.
Will KSM Be Tried in a Military Tribunal After All?
Today’s Washington Post reports that White House advisors are likely to recommend that Khalid Sheikh Muhammed be tried before a military commission, rather than in a civilian court as had been planned.
“A Shameful Attack on the U.S. Legal System”
Walter Dellinger has an op-ed in today’s Washington Post decrying the “shameful” attack on lawyers who represented Guantanamo detainees. It begins: It never occurred to me on the day that Defense Department lawyer Rebecca Snyder and Lt. Cmdr. William Kuebler of the Navy appeared in my law firm’s offices to ask for our assistance in […]