Congressman Boucher is trying to put the "use" back in Fair Use - Read all about it, and then contact him and tell him you support his efforts. (thanks Jenny!)
8:32:24 PM
Bill Clinton's Law Review Article has hit the streets....
Paul Greenberg comments on Bill Clinton's law review article (actually, seems like a speech reprinted as an essay), Progress and Paradox: The Realities of Globalization in the Twenty-First Century, 55 Ark. L. Rev. 235 (2002) Paul writes:
How many other lawyers barred from practicing for five years in their home state -- and also stripped of their license to argue before the Supreme Court of the United States -- have been invited to adorn a law journal? It's the equivalent of a Mafia don writing the lead article in some law enforcement journal.
Yankees in First by a Comfortable $33 Million. Today's Wall Street Journal quotes a study by FutureBrand (a branding consultant), indicating that the NEW YORK YANKEES is the most valuable brand in sports, valued at US$333.8 million, followed by the DALLAS COWBOYS at $300.5 m and the LOS ANGELES LAKERS at $272.5 m. Last year, a Future Brand study of sports franchises put the Cowboys at number 1, and Manchester United at number 2. via [The Trademark Blog]
As always, check Martin Schwimmer's fine site for information on trademark law and related news tidbits.
1:53:24 PM
Wanna see my friend's pictures of Cuba?
Actually, it's my friend's sister. Elizabeth Hickok is a serious photographer, and she has some great pictures that she took in Cuba. I think she will sell them (ask her if you are interested). I don't blog much about my photographic interests (since this has become a mostly law-oriented site), but it is one of the seven massive hobbies that I pursue, music being the other one that I have publicly disclosed.
12:54:02 PM
Free Speech - Becoming more expensive, or at least more complicated...
Eugene Volokh asks "DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY WHOM YOU WANT FOR A ROOMMATE? In California, you apparently don't. On May 7, the California Fair Employment & Housing Commission penalized Melissa DeSantis $500 for inflicting "emotional distress" on a would-be roommate by allegedly telling him that "I don't really like black guys. I try to be fair and all, but they scare me." read more from the [Volokh Conspiracy]
Some good thoughts by Eugune Volokh (which I will have to digest later, having quickly skimmed his post). Here's the thing, the whole point of free speech is to let people say what they think, even stupid, prejudicial things. The theory is that in the marketplace of ideas the good ideas will win out. I think narrowminded prejudice is bad. But it is also a bad idea, and I have complete faith in the marketplace of ideas to weed it out. But here's another bad idea: Having the government try to marginalize speech that reflects prejudice via regulation.
11:38:07 AM
There's a rise in the number of suits brought by "pro se" litigants. [National Law Journal]
11:12:55 AM
ABA Journal is sued for defamation
The ABA Journal (the flagship publication of the ABA) was sued by a lawyer who was unfavorably portrayed in an October 2000 article. Is there actual malice? [Law.com]
10:13:19 AM
Words to live by...
"It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid." George Bernard Shaw
10:05:28 AM
Ken Layne - Will he come back?
I got an E-mail from him (in response to my well-wishes in Belize E-mail) that suggests he may be returning to the Blogosphere soon. Meanwhile, I found this interview with Ken purely by happenstance this morning. It's a short piece and discusses his views on blogging. I'm enjoying his novel, Dot.con, which I ordered from him just before the lights went out at his site. Ken really is a gifted writer, and the Blogosphere needs him back soon.
9:47:40 AM
I've become a big fan of Pay Pal, even though I've only used it about three times (same with eBay). I know that Pay Pal has had some regulatory hurdles to clear, which I believe that they have mostly done. Although, I think they have a few pending (mostly involving challenges that they are too much like a bank etc.). So perhaps the reason for the delay in acquisition by eBay was to see if Pay Pal cleared some of those hurdles. Whatever. I'm hoping that Pay Pal will become more mainstream and I would think this acquisition paves the way for that. If so, I think it means a way for people to easily leave money in the old Weblog tip jars. Sites like Kuro5hin can only benefit from this sort of thing.
8:57:11 AM
