At Least I’m Not Watching TV

And I’m experimenting with new (for me) image embedding skills!  Guess where I stole this from?  That’s right– another blog.  And it’s about uncontrolled authority, too.  But I’m also not working.

You Are Not Watching Television

I hope LB will excuse a post that’s not about law, sociology, politics or NU. It’s about this whole blogging, internet thing.

If you are reading this, then you are not watching TV. That’s a good thing for everyone except TV network executives, and I thought this article, which I first found on Andrew Sullivan’s blog (there you go) was an interesting examination of the implications of that fact. Here’s the trailer — Wikipedia, in every language in which it is published, represents about 100 million hours of human endeavor. Where did those people find the time? Well, some might have come from the 200 billion hours of TV watched every year in the USA alone.

The flip side, of course, is that while I am writing this, I am not working.

The Commencement Speaker You Could Have Had

Here is a photo of a very prestigious commencement speaker, taken yesterday at the Air Force Academy. 

Bush Lied. Can We Sue?

As more & more people fess up after leaving the administration, I just feel angrier & angrier.  Geez, can we citizens sue them or their boss?  I guess not–frustrating…  Pet peeve of mine: dishonesty.

NU Disappoints

From the Daily Northwestern, May 13, 2008 –

The announcement of this year’s commencement speaker has been delayed at the speaker’s request, said University President Henry Bienen on Monday afternoon.”It’s the speaker who doesn’t want it known,” Bienen said. “He has not said to me by phone, letter or any other message as to why he wants to delay the announcement.”

NU selected a speaker to give the June 20 commencement address months ago, but “his schedule is not revealed until a day in advance,” said university spokesman Al Cubbage.

Still, Bienen did provide a few clues to the speaker’s identity. He is male, an “extremely well-known person” and somebody who “doesn’t make a habit” of giving graduation speeches.

“That may be part of the reason, because it’s not someone who does this habitually or at all,” Bienen said. “It’s not my secrecy; I’m just honoring a request.”

 

 

 

After all this hype the cat is finally out of the bag.  Mayor Daly?  WTF?  Bienen made him sound like the effin Premier of China.   The reaction among seniors is clear.  The online version of the Daily allows students to chime in with comments on any story.  The most any story rated this quarter was the Dillo Day lineup at 17.  Now, out of roughly 1200 graduates, 125 have made their feelings known and the list is growing.  By my count the negative reactions outnumber the positives by 122-3.  There are talks of protests, boycotts, turning chairs, booing, etc.  Good thing NU decided to withdraw its offer to the good Reverend to avoid any controversy. 

So I ask you, oh wise ones, are these students crying foul over nothing?

Big Win For Workers’ Rights in Workplace Discrimination Suits

Today’s two Supreme Court decisions — Gomez-Perez v. Potter and CBOCS West, Inc. v. Humphries — held that federal laws barring workplace discrimination protect workers against retaliation if they complain about bias on the job.   This expansive view of civil rights — particularly worker’s rights — is a welcome turn away from last year’s ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company that limited plaintiff’s ability to seek redress in pay-discrimination cases.  The rights upheld today went beyond those explicitly articulated by congressional legislation.  That gives me confidence that the Roberts Court may bring a larger role for the judiciary in enforcing civil rights law.

Laura Beth, how psyched are you about this?

Here is more commentary by the New York Times, SCOTUSBlog and the Christian Science Monitor.

Is it June?

June or not, our distinguished leader heard today that she has been promoted to associate professor with tenure.  I am sure her children will help put together a video that rivals Brian’s dramatic Jayhawk footage.

Her now tenured highness received this news in a hotel room in Montreal, where she is attending the Law and Society Association Meetings.

Hardy congratulations for a promotion well deserved.

Actually, way to go LB.  You rock.

She has been pretty daring before getting tenure.  Hold onto your hats everybody.

Happy Memorial Day

OK first, Krugman is right as usual.

Now, Happy Memorial Day. Today my giant flag flies outside my house right next to my signs for Obama. We have a complicated politics in this house, but we remember our friends and family who served in the military. I always get confused — on Veteran’s day we remeber all Vets (living or dead — did they have to fight in a war? I think the rule is that they had to be active during a war). On Memorial Day we remember everyone who died in a war? Or served in a war and subsequently died whether or not from their war experience?

In any event, since I would argue that some part of you dies/is transformed when you must go to war, here’s to Bob’s late brother, Jim (viet nam); my Grandpa Lee, who for all his “issues” fought in WWII (and whose flag I fly today); my Great Uncle Uncle Morris (WWII), and all the rest.

The kids’ Memorial Day Lesson today was to read the rules for the proper display of the American flag and help me figure out how to hang it properly (when hanging vertically — Blue part on top, to the left, and pointing north or east).

Court: Gays Cannot be Automatically Discharged

Court: Gays cannot be automatically discharged
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/05/ap_airforce_lesbian_052108/
By Gene Johnson – The Associated Press
SEATTLE – When the military wants to discharge homosexual
service men and women under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law, it must
justify its decision each time, a federal appeals court panel ruled
Wednesday in the case of a highly decorated flight nurse who sued the
Air Force over her firing.
The ruling is the first appeals court ruling in the country that
evaluates “don’t ask, don’t tell” in light of Lawrence v. Texas, the
Supreme Court’s 2003 decision that struck down that state’s ban on
sodomy.
The three judges from 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated
Maj. Margaret Witt’s lawsuit against the Air Force, saying the facts of
her case must be developed to determine if her dismissal furthered the
military’s stated goals of military readiness and troop harmony.
“When the government attempts to intrude upon the personal and
private lives of homosexuals,” Judge Ronald M. Gould wrote, “the
government must advance an important governmental interest, the
intrusion must significantly further that interest, and the intrusion
must be necessary to further that interest.”
Continued at:
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/05/ap_airforce_lesbian_052108/

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead

Wow. Just today the NYTimes was making the case for a unity ticket and then she goes and says this. Possible interpretations (1) she wants someone to assasinate Obama (that ought to get the government reading out blog!) (2) she is pointing out that Kennedy was still campaigning the June. that is the generous interpretation.

I am sorry, but she has lost it. I have always said that if she pulled it off I would support her, but that’s some crazy stuff right there. wow. I am in shock.

To be fair, here is a story with her apology.