Monthly Archives: June 2011

Quick Blackmail / Hostage situation update

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Jonathan

Paul Krugman says: Think about it. There’s a significant chance that failing to raise the debt limit could provoke a renewed financial crisis — and Republicans would rather take that chance than allow a reduction in tax breaks on corporate … Continue reading →

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Military Planners OUT at The New York Times!

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Jonathan

From the New York Times editorial yesterday, opining on Obama’s speech about Afghanistan troop withdrawal plans: He said that 10,000 of the 33,000 troops from the “surge” would come home before the end of this year, with the rest out … Continue reading →

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“Statistical Evidence Paradox”: bogus

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Jonathan

Here is a criminal law version of [a] problem. Defendants are both hunters. They recklessly fire bullets in a direction where they heard a rustle even though they have good grounds for fearing that the rustle might have been caused … Continue reading →

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Chris Christie: a Sinner

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Jonathan

According to Chris Christie’s wife, “her husband’s family responsibilities preclude a run for the presidency.” According to many Republicans, Christie represents our country’s best hope for getting off of the path to ruin that Obama has charted for us. And … Continue reading →

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“Forgiveness”: A non-sequitur?

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Jonathan

I’m reading the book Ill-gotten Gains: Evasion, Blackmail, Fraud, and Kindred Puzzles of the Law by Leo Katz, and so far the book has been an interesting exploration of the question of whether and why it may be ok for 2 … Continue reading →

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Mickey Kaus

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Jonathan

asks a funny question: If a Tweet Falls in the Forest …: Hmm. You know those attractive women who want to friend you on Facebook? They may be fictitious “bimbots.” Which raises the question: What if Anthony Weiner had sent photos of his … Continue reading →

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One more round on Kervorkian

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Jonathan

Ross Douthat, responding to a blogger (called “Drum”) who raised basically the same objections as I did to his Kervorkian critique, writes: For Drum, though, a question: Assuming that the would-be suicide is of sound-enough mind and uncoerced, are there … Continue reading →

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Ross Douthat on Kervorkian

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Jonathan

Could it ever be more wrong to assist someone commit an act than to commit the act itself? It seems generally like it isn’t: the accomplice to the bank robbery is obviously less culpable than the robber. But Ross Douthat … Continue reading →

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2 kinds of laws

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Jonathan

Jack Kervorkian, a champion of personal freedom who helped people die the way they wanted to die, died two days ago of natural causes. John Delaney, an entrepeneur who ran an online current events betting site (www.intrade.com), died last week … Continue reading →

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You know we’re losing control of the meaning of the term “conspiracy theory”

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Jonathan

when a National Review columnist (the guy on the right) does not object to the use of that term to describe the view that the source of Anthony Weiner’s twitter account’s controversial tweet was….. Anthony Weiner. (critical question: who would … Continue reading →

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