I’m reasonably sure that Katherine Mangu-Ward’s new Reason blog post on CPSIA is the only instance in which anyone has ever called me a “rock star”.
Archive for May, 2009
“Why Does the Vaccine/Autism Controversy Live On?”
A major article in the new Discover. We’ve been covering Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (and his ties to the mass-tort litigation business) for a long time.
Content-scraper gets into scrape
In Popehat’s words, “Stealing copyrighted material, but only from lawyers. What a brilliant idea.”
Member of Congress defends speech-ban bill
Although the proposed Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act would criminalize a wide range of online speech that leads to emotional distress, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) says we should rest assured that judges in their discretion will apply it only to nasties who are bothering our children — except that the bill is in no way limited to that type of speech. Eugene Volokh dissects (earlier here and here).
“Attorney Can’t Ask 3rd Party to ‘Friend’ Witness on Facebook, Opinion Says”
At this rate they’re going to start taking away all the fun ways to win a case [ABA Journal]
Roquefort cheese tariff war
It appears to have ended happily (earlier here and here).
“Man dining at TGI Friday’s finds a snake head under his broccoli”
According to the Albany Times-Union Jack Pendleton, of Ballston Lake, N.Y., has no plans to sue, but per Obscure Store, “you can bet there will be lawyers calling him today”. More: Turkewitz.
Online commentary not so anonymous
A New Hampshire court has ordered a well-known mortgage-crisis-watchdog website, Mortgage Lender Implode-o-Meter, to disclose confidential sources and the identity of an anonymous commenter [Sam Bayard, Citizen Media Law] The order has been stayed pending appeal.
May 7 roundup
- New court allegations that disgraced Luzerne County, Pa. judges fixed civil cases as well [Legal Intelligencer; earlier here and here]
- Half-hopeful, half-sad story of Florida town’s efforts to live down “Nub City” insurance-fraud notoriety [St. Petersburg Times a while back, but new to me; Errol Morris film; my review of Ken Dornstein’s book]
- Evidence continues to roll in against once-touted theory that bans on smoking in public places result in dramatic overnight drop in heart attack rates [Sullum, Reason “Hit and Run”, earlier here and here]
- Maybe everyone’s too used to such things by now to get riled up by that pic of garishly painted “1-800-LAWYERS” van [Ron Miller; earlier]
- Magazines often found on scene at law enforcement raids = guilty magazines that should be banned from mails? [McClatchy “Suits and Sentences” blog; earlier on cockfighting periodicals Apr. 24, etc.]
- Lawprofs: Let’s carve bigger religious-conscience exemptions into antibias laws [Robin Wilson, L.A. Times; Dale Carpenter series at Volokh; Ira Lupu, ConcurOp via Orin Kerr]
- UK: “Parents sue NHS over ‘wrongful birth’ of disabled son” [Times Online, our earlier coverage of concept]
- Throw bloggers in prison because their posts cause emotional distress? Have fifteen members of Congress gone completely mad? [David Kravets, Wired “Threat Level”, earlier]
“Pregnancy Discimination Laws: Do They Hurt Women More Than They Help?”
A John Stossel/Ruth Chenetz report sparks a discussion. [LegalBlogWatch]