The Washington Post has an interesting story on the 3-2 split on the Securities and Exchange Commission over whether to file charges against Goldman Sachs. According to the story, Republican appointees Kathleen Casey (a former Hill aide) and Washington Univeristy law professor Troy Paredes, “were skeptical that the evidence showed that Goldman had misled its […]
Archive | April, 2010
The Parked Mustang Test of Environmental Progress
Via Henry Payne comes this fun factoid: “the 1970 Ford Mustang pollutes more parked in a driveway than a 2010 Mustang does traveling down the road.”
Forthcoming TNR Piece on Human Rights Watch
Word on the street is that the next issue of The New Republic will have an extensive investigative article on Human Rights Watch and its hostility to Israel, written by young journalist named Ben Birnbaum. On cue, Philip Weiss of Mondoweiss–a Nation Institute sponsored anti-Israel and often anti-Jewish blog (really, how many “introspective” posts by […]
Bloggers think Repubs should associate with Tea Party. Disagree on whether independent run would help Crist
“How closely should the Republican Party align itself with the Tea Party movement?” In this week’s National Journal poll of political bloggers, 65% of the Left and 78% of the Right says “somewhat” or “very” closely. However, the Left was mostly “very” while the Right favored “somewhat.” My answer had less to do with the […]
Obama Administration to Appeal in National Day of Prayer Case
So reports the AP; thanks to How Appealing for the pointer. For more on the decision, see here. Unsurprising, but I thought it was noteworthy, especially since it seems likely the case will get mentioned in the Supreme Court confirmation debates.
Deadly Force in Self-Defense Constitutionally Protected, Nondeadly Force Unprotected?
From People v. Srnec (Mich. Ct. App. Jan. 26, 2010) (italics added): Defendant next argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial and to dismiss because the Second Amendment safeguarding the right to bear arms affords every citizen a right of self-defense against unlawful arrest or seizure. Defendant claims […]
Iceland Jokes
Reported by Michael Rubin (The Corner): [1. I]t was the Icelandic economy’s last wish that its ashes be scattered over the EU. [2.] Iceland goes bankrupt, then it manages to set itself on fire. This has insurance scam written all over it.
(Maybe) Racist Vanity Plates and the First Amendment
The Washington Post reports: The owner of a Ford truck bearing the license plate 14CV88 will have to find a new message after the DMV on Wednesday canceled its earlier approval of that series of letters and numbers. A photo of the truck hit the Web a few days ago, went viral on car and […]
Bleg: Where to Look for Artist on the Internet
I have an idea for an illustration for the cover of my forthcoming Rehabilitating Lochner book. (If you must know: A drawing of Lochner author Justice Peckham and Lochner dissenter Oliver Wendell Holmes in a boxing ring, with Peckham knocking out Holmes). I’m skeptical that the press will accept this idea, but even if it […]
Legal Gambits
“Thus he argues that video surveillance by or with the consent of a government informant constitutes a search within the gambit of the Fourth Amendment’s protections, and a warrant is therefore necessary to legally conduct such video surveillance.” From United States v. Brathwaite (5th Cir. 2006). A Westlaw ALLCASES search for “within the gambit of” […]
Carl Menger Essay Prize for Undergrads:
The Society for the Development of Austrian Economics has just announced the inaugural Carl Menger Essay Prize for undergraduate students. Info is here. The prize is $1,000 and the opportunity to present at the Society’s annual meeting in the fall at the Southern Economic Association meetings. The subject matter is described broadly: The purpose of […]
Enough with the Ridiculous Hyperbole!
One of the fun, albeit somewhat disheartening, things about having written a book about the encroachment of antidiscrimination laws on all aspects of civil society is watching hypotheticals your critics dismissed as “absurd” or “ridiculous hyperbole” turn into real cases. For example, while the Boy Scouts of America were sued for refusing to allow homosexual […]
The Lesson of the Lorax:
In honor of Earth Day, I thought I’d repost something I wrote in 2005 on the TV version of Dr. Seuss’ story of the Lorax. Dr. Seuss’ story of the Lorax is an environmental classic (as is the television version that I’ve just seen). The conventional interpretation is that it’s a tale of market-driven environmental […]
Schroeder Confirmed
Duke law professor Christopher Schroeder has finally been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Policy in the Department of Justice. Among other things, this position traditionally oversees judicial nominations. The vote was 72-24. Dan Farber comments here.
Last Atlantic Yards Property Owner Agrees to Sell His Land Under Threat of Condemnation
The last property owner in the condemned Atlantic Yards area of Brooklyn, New York has agreed to sell his land in order to avoid the condemnation of his property by the city government [HT: Josh Blackman]: The last man standing in front of the Atlantic Yards bulldozer has stepped aside. Daniel Goldstein — founder of […]