Ron Paul 2012

Read More

VIDEO-The Usual Suspects

The Usual Suspects is a crime movie. It is a caper gone wrong. It is a mystery that resolves itself at the end. And the real mystery is this. Did any of it happen?



This movie is well known around the interwebs because of the name "Keyser Soze" which at least a thousand people use as a handle. Keyser Soze is a character in the movie who is a devil of a person who criminals and the underworld fear intensely. He is a character of pure evil will and diabolical genius. He is without remorse and ruthless. Yet, his true identity remains a mystery making him even more mysterious and frightening.



The suspects in the movie end up meeting in a police lineup. This is no coincidence as this was orchestrated by Keyser Soze himself. The suspects have no clue they are being manipulated like puppets. Ultimately, they are presented with an offer they cannot refuse. It is a tragedy for these men from which they cannot escape.



This leaves the mystery of Keyser Soze. I will not spoil the ending. I will simply tell you that if you have not seen this film you definitely want to put it on your viewing list. This movie delivers, and my only regret is that the movie could not be longer and deeper and better. This would have made a great miniseries for television.

Read More

Regulating student-athletes' social media

A fellow law professor raises the following issue: What are the legal (especially First Amendment) implications of recent attempts by some schools (including, apparently, the University of North Carolina) to ban student-athletes from using Twitter and other social media? Can the schools do it? Should they do it? What arguments could student-athletes make in response and would they work?

This is the first I have heard about this issue. My initial, descriptive thought is that such a ban would be upheld on the strength of some unholy hybrid of Garcetti and Morse. Normatively, I find that a bit disheartening. I would hope for a more nuanced analysis, in which we might separate what a player does as an athlete playing for the team (and thus on behalf of the school) and as a student. After all, can it be that student-athletes have fewer First Amendment rights than student non-athletes? I remember watching a documentary a few years ago about John Wooden's UCLA dynasty, which described how Wooden permitted (and even somewhat encouraged) players such as Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton to get involved in campus activism and protests during the off-season (over Viet Nam and civil rights, primarily), with the caveat that they not do anything to embarrass the team (read: "Don't get arrested"). Forty years later and schools are afraid of having players tweet or post status updates?

Thoughts?

Read More

If a Branch Falls in a Forest...

On the day after Irene we had beautiful weather and I went for a 40 mile ride on the Seven roadbike that I scandalously still have on loan (and will soon be reviewing). Though a preliminary cleanup of the roads had already taken place, branches and other debris were still scattered in some areas and I thought the biggest challenge would be cycling on narrow tires. However, that part was fine - the wheels rolled easily over the occasionally unavoidable obstacle, with the bike either retaining or quickly regaining stability every time. But toward the end of the ride I began to feel as if the rear wheel had an odd little bounce to it. It was barely perceptible, but I decided to stop and check it out - thinking it was probably a flat tire. What I saw was very different: The quick release of the rear wheel was open and the wheel was sitting completely loose in the dropouts. At first I thought that the lever was broken or the skewer had somehow snapped. But everything was fine and once I re-secured the wheel the bike was good to go. My theory is that a tough little branch must have gotten jammed in there, prying open the quick release. I suppose it was lucky that the wheel did not come out of the dropouts entirely, and lucky that the branch did not jam the spokes.

Later I told the Co-Habitant about my mishap. "This is why you need to face the quick release lever inward and not outward," he warned. I don't actually remember how it was positioned before the incident (and honestly I think it's possible for things to catch on it regardless), but I will keep it in line with the chainstays from now on.

As tempting as it is to derive lessons from this, I think these things can happen regardless of how many precautions you take. I had been debating whether to take the Seven on that ride or a wider-tired, fendered bike - but it would not have mattered; this could have happened to any bicycle with quick release wheels. I think the only lesson here is that it's important to pay attention to your bike - even to what may seem like subtle weirdnesses in handling - and stop to check it out if something feels odd. It could be nothing. Or it could be your wheel about to come off.

Read More

Hey Telfer, Nice trick

Hey Telfer, nice trick.

Once against Brendan Telfer is using every trick
every journalist has ever used on his facebook page.

He once again, turned around an innocent comment
in regards to the Manly/Storm fight and the media's
perception of it, and use an example that was a
case of apple and oranges.

The question was does the media treat fights in
Rugby and League differently, he said no, and
used a school boy Rugby game as an example.

Not quite the same thing,  he should of used the reaction
of his fellow journos to fights in the NPC, but then again
that wouldn't help his case or his bias would it.

Yet another black eye for sport journalism in this country.

Read More

Read More

Why I Wont Follow the Rugby World Cup

I wont be following the cup at all, because of how other sports
 get screwed by Rugby Union in this country, for example the
Tall Blacks losing home court advantage for the Olympic qualifying
 series,  because the media didn't have enough cameras to film the
 games because of the world cup.

Home court advantage in Basketball is huge, and for the
Tall Blacks to maybe miss out on the Olympics
because of this, is disgusting.

Secondly, I don't like the exaggeration of how popular the game is
outside our country, the world wont be watching, Dan Carter is
not worshipped by woman outside our country, Corey Jane's twitter
account is not followed by millions, Tha All Blacks arent that well
known outside our country, I repeat, the All Blacks aren't world
famous.

 I also don't think its good journalism  that reporters such
as Craig Stanaway always has to put a Rugby Reference
into non rugby stories.

Then there is the knocking of other sports that seems to be unique
to Rugby Fans, they don't seem to like other sports at all, try
being a warriors fan in Christchurch! Try liking soccer, try
suggesting that our track and field stars are actually faster
than the fasteest rugby player, you would be jumped on
and abused by Rugby fans.

Anyway, even though I won't follow it, I hope we win for
the sake of the country's happiness, and those of
us in Christchurch who could use some good news.

Read More