Read all about it — and see the photos — here. “I gave this about 250 rounds[,] but I think around 150 might actually be enough. But then again I don’t mind when bacon is crispy. Ahh the smell of sizzling bacon mixed with the smell of gunpowder and weapon oil.” Thanks to InstaPundit for […]
Archive | March, 2010
Duke Reverses Exclusion of Pro-Life Talk from the Duke Women’s Center
Here’s the letter from Women’s Center Director Ada Gregory: Dear Ms. __: I wanted to write concerning the recent problem you experienced after reserving space at the Women’s Center for a Duke Students for Life event during pro-life awareness week on campus. First, I am so sorry that your event was cancelled due to actions […]
Colorado Attorney General Explains the Obamacare Lawsuit
My 23 minute podcast interview with Colorado Attorney Geneeral John Suthers is here.
“Big Bang”
People asked about the “Big Bang” example, so here’s the source. It’s of course only an extreme case, used only to amusingly show how far some people are willing to go — I don’t want to claim that it’s at all a common demand (unlike the demands to rename “handicapped,” “American Indian,” and the like): […]
Soccerphiles & Soccerphobes, Lay Down Your Arms!
I know that the world (at least the VC world) is sharply divided into opposing camps on all matters soccer-related, but we should put aside our differences and gather together at our favorite watering-holes tomorrow (Wednesday — 230 PM EDT, rebroadcast at 8 PM EDT on Fox Soccer Channel) for a match that should be […]
Sixth Circuit 0-3 in Habeas Cases This Term
This morning, the Supreme Court unanimously reversed the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Berghuis v. Smith. The Court held, in an opinion by Justice Ginsburg, that the Sixth Circuit had erroneously concluded that the Michigan Supreme Court’s rejection of criminal defendant Diapolis Smith’s Sixth Amendment claim involved an unreasonable application of […]
Gene Patent(s?) Invalidated:
When I teach the patent law material in my Introductory Intellectual Property class, we discuss the (very fundamental) principle that “naturally-occurring” things are not patentable subject matter – that patents only cover creations springing from the human mind. “But wait a second,” someone often asks, “what about all those ‘gene patents’ I read about in […]
The Tournament of Novels:
First Things is having a “Tournament of Novels.” Vote here. I just learned about it and so missed voting in the first round but just cast my vote in the second round. Some of the match-ups were very clever, such as Lord of the Rings versus Atlas Shrugged in the first round. (HT: Mere Comments). […]
Self-hating Wolverine
Chapman Law School professor Hugh Hewitt runs an excellent blog, with plenty of stimulating commentary, even for people who disagree with Hugh’s viewpoint. Some people, however, were put off by Hugh’s adamant defense of the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers. Discerning readers have learned to take Hugh’s prediction of Republican election wins with many […]
“What Sort of Burden Does It Place on the University … to Strike ‘of Our Lord’ from the Diploma?”
So asks commenter Skibum3157 on the Trinity University thread: I think people in most instances should probably just deal with the dating system. Nevertheless, what sort of burden does it place on the university to strike the language “of our Lord” from the diploma? To me, it seems the refusal to do so is based […]
Kentucky
The entire U.S. population in 1790, a bit under 4 million, is less than the 2008 population of Kentucky, which itself is a bit smaller than the average state. The urban population in 1790, defined as population residing in places with 2500 or more inhabitants — a bit over 200,000 — is less than the […]
“Year of Our Lord”
The San Antonio Express News reports that some Trinity University students are trying to get the university to drop “In the Year of Our Lord,” on the theory that “By having the phrase ‘In the Year of Our Lord,’ it is directly referencing Jesus Christ, and not everyone believes in Jesus Christ.” They are apparently […]
Can a State Use Eminent Domain to Take Federal Land?
Steve Bainbridge and co-blogger Eugene Volokh ask whether states are permitted to use eminent domain to take federal land. The question is occasioned by Utah’s recently enacted plan to condemn federal land within its territory. For reasons I discussed in this earlier post inspired by Utah’s plans, the answer is almost certainly no. Indeed, as […]
A Sad Victory for Thuggery in Texas
By Eugene Volokh on March 29, 2010 4:57 pm in Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Speech at Colleges and Universities
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education reports: A student performance of an excerpt from Corpus Christi, a play positing Jesus Christ as a gay man, was canceled this past Friday at Tarleton State University (TSU) in Texas amid controversy and calls for censorship. The performance of the excerpt, which was to be directed by […]
Paul Robeson, “Let My People Go”
Happy Passover!