Pessimism in a Sea of Optimism

I must confess to a secret. I feel depressed. This started around the day Obama entered office, and it has steadily become worse. Meanwhile, the rest of the country is optimistic about Obama probably because they see a government check in their future. Ahhhh, the new American Dream. We all get to be on welfare.The American people are idiots. Currently, I am thinking over material for a book I am going to call Libertopia. The book deals with one issue and seeks to answer one question. Why do people reject freedom in favor of tyranny? So far, my...

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National Sports Law Student Writing Competition

Marquette University Law School has announced a new writing competition open to students from any law school. Winners get published in the Marquette Sports Law Review and get to attend the National Sports Law Institute fall conference for free. The deadline for submission is July 17, 2009. The announcement is he...

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Budget Options for Everyday Bicycles

{This post is now a Pa...

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"Tort Law and Journalism Ethics"

That's the title of my new law review article that will be published in Loyola University Chicago Law Journal. It can be downloaded from SSRN. You'll appreciate this paper if you're tired of a 21st Century press that disregards individual privacy, infiltrates the news with sensationalized stories, and blames their inaccurate reporting on "getting the story out there first" (in particular with respect to participants in the sports and entertainment industries). I advocate that the justification for the First Amendment privilege becomes less compelling...

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A Lovely Bicycle for Everyday Cycling

{This post is now a Pa...

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I am constantly amused when the tools of power are applied to a capitalist environme...

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Arlen Specter blo...

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The 'common good' of a collective--a race, a class, a state--was the claim and justification of every tyranny ever established over men. Every major horror of history was committed in the name of an altruistic motive. Has any act of selfishness ever equaled the carnage perpetrated by the disciples of altruism? Does the fault lie in men's hypocrisy or in the nature of the principle? The most dreadful butchers were the most sincere. They believed in the perfect society reached through the guillotine and the firing squad. Nobody questioned their right...

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Vendors in Boston

Local Sellers of Traditionally Styled BicyclesAfter much research, I am happy to report the following vendors of hard-to-find, relaxed-style bicycles in the Boston area:Dutch Bicycle Company (Somerville). Gazelle. Velorbis. SoegreniJolly Bike (Arlington). Gazelle (while remaining stock lasts)Cambridge Bicycle (Cambridge). Batavus. KHS Green. Biria Classic Dutch Series. Gary...

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Whoever said laughter was the best medicine never had nut cancer like Lance Armstro...

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Big week for babies

Today was supposed to be branding and gelding day - Yuck! BUT, the weather came to the party at last and it is raining - bad timing really but I refuse to complain because boy do we need this rain! Bree took a tumble in the paddock a few days ago and presented with a very swollen gaskin and lower hind. I put her on bute for a few days and the swelling subsided markedly but she still has a popped out area around her inner thigh/gaskin so I have spoken to her owner and we have agreed to get John to take a look at it. I doubt there is much more than...

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Jeremy Tyler: High School Junior Basketball Phenom to Play Professionally in Europe

The NBA's one-and-done rule requires that a player be 19 years of age plus one year removed from high school (with "from high school" meaning having graduated from high school or one's class having graduated) in order to be eligible for the NBA draft. It's presumed that a player will attend college in that "one year removed" and save for Brandon Jennings, it's held true....

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Twinky Dink

Poor wee Twinkle has been looking a little unloved so, with Laura's help, today she came in for a makeover and photo session. Twinkle's name is 'Kingcroft Tickled Pink' and she is a 3 year old NZWB filly by Trakehner stallion Holme Park Flute out of a lovely TB mare by Kenfair and came to me from her breeder, Nicky Wolstencroft, back in 2007. Twinkle will be bred to Hamish...

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Catching Up with Links

* Joshua Knipp and Michael Miller -- two students at Wake Forest University School of Law -- have posted on SSRN a draft of their interesting paper Finding a Balance: Advocating a Long-Term Solution to the NCAA's Battle with Technology in Recruiting.* The annual Sports Lawyers Association Conference is coming up on May 14 in Chicago. For more information, click here.* Max Eppel of Sports Agent Blog has a good feature piece on soccer agents and transfer windows.* Jason Peck of Sports Agent Blog reports on the recently-held College Sport Research...

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This blog needs an overha...

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Local News "Seeks the Truth"

I want to commend the Louisville Fox affiliate, WDRB-41, for its decision not to air, or even report on, its interview with Karen Sypher, the woman Louisville coach Rick Pitino asserts has attempted to extort him. According to an ESPN report late last night:Karen Sypher recently did a lengthy interview with the Louisville Fox affiliate, WDRB-41, but the station reported Saturday night that it "has decided not to relate details of her claims at this time."WDRB news anchor Candyce Clifft, who conducted the interview with Karen Sypher, said the station...

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State action and the Yankees Lawsuit

In writing and speaking about fans' speech rights, the speech part always has seemed, to me, easy--of course someone can wear a t-shirt reading "Yankees Suck" and of course someone can jeer a player for making an error. And of course someone cannot be compelled to participate in a patriotic ritual such as singing "God Bless America." The harder part (at least at professional sporting events) has been whether the First Amendment is even in play when the controlling actor--the teams--are not obviously state actors. The lawsuit by the fan who was...

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A nice letter

Yesterday in my inbox I received the nicest email so I want to share and, if the person who sent it to me reads this, I hope you realise it helped make my day, thank you!Hi Lou, I just wanted to let you know that I had a good catch-up with my friend ***** last night and she is simply thrilled with her Hamish youngster *** ***. He's become a firm favourite with everyone on her farm because of his personable, incredibly social nature, and he's gorgeous to boot! And he's going to be a HORSE! She just can't speak highly enough of him, which I just...

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09's first outdoor session

Saturday 18thJerkoa 16kg: 5/52x16kg: 10oa 24kg: 5/52x24kg: 5, 34 (5rpm, 7min)2x16kg: 3x 10reps (made 2nd dips as deep as I could)34 reps is a pb, but it was with my "easy" powermax bells. Maybe, the day I can do 40 with these, I can do 30 with comp bells.After training, I took a nap in the sunshine at the lifting ground. Good!ThursdaySnatch20 kg: 5/524kg: 5/520kg: L48(4min)/R40(3:50), 20/2024kg: 10/10, 5/5Oa swing 24kg: 5/5; 32kg: 5/5; 36kg: 3x5/5Some oa pulls w rolling 42mm handle 35-61kgSome gripperI wanted to snatch for 8 mins with the 20kg,...

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Reaction to Thomas among FIU factulty

Not surprised this is happening: The director of women's studies at FIU is organizing protests against the hiring of Isiah Thomas as men's basketball coach, relating to Thomas having been found liable (along with the Knicks and the team owner) for the sexual harassment of a Knicks employee.I was surprised we did not hear more from these faculty members early in the week, from when the rumors of the hiring began on Sunday until the press conference on Wednesday. But it all happened so quickly, no one had time to get a statement or protest organized....

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DVD-The Wire

I first got interested in The Wire from reading a post about in on a libertarian blog. I doubt that the producers of the show are libertarians, but you can't watch this show without getting a libertarian viewpoint on a lot of things. Needless to say, The Wire is one of the finest television shows that I have ever watched. I cannot praise it more highly or recommend it enough....

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Easter in Tampere, Telia

My house is changing internet provider to the company Telia. Thus, I have no Internet connection at the present and this blog has been silent. Today I am at the countryside, where there is Internet connection.Lovely Tampere Easter Easter was spent with Antti at FKA in Tammerfors. Antti was kind enough to lodge me at his home and I had the possibillity to meet his very nice family. We did several training sessions at my host's gym - for me it was very good to get a profound technique review of my snatch and jerk. Especially, I have some technical...

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Cats are cool until they piss on somethi...

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A Pain in the Butt?

After riding around all day on the KHS Green, I noticed something, ahem, interesting. I've no idea how to put this delicately, so I won't even try: My bottom hurt like hell the next morning! It did not seem to be a muscle pain, but rather a pain from the imprint of the seat.When returning the rental bike, I gingerly asked one of the Cambridge Bicycle employees about this....

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Just coz ...

I was out with my camera on the driveway this morning, with some of the menagerie so, photos ...Laura and RoscoRosco and stickKrugerJetJetOK, not on the driveway - Last night's dinnerAmy, Laura and Ro...

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Two Sports Law Talks at Mississippi College School of Law

If any of you are in the Jackson area, I'lll be giving a talk today at Mississippi College School of Law from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on recent sports law issues and careers in sports law. It will be in Room 251 and directions to the law school can be found here. There is also a Facebook page on today's event. My thanks to Madeline Hankins and the rest of the law school's Sports and Entertainment Law Society for putting this together.Tomorrow I'll be giving the key note address at the law school's alumni and reunion weekend from 7:00 to 7:30...

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Hip Hop Law Blog

The West Virginia University College of Law Sports and Entertainment Law Society is proud to announce the launch of a new blog that will add texture and content to the entertainment law and interconnected sports law space: HipHopLaw.com. Go to:http://hiphoplaw.comA recent post by Professor D. Aaron Lacy suggests that the NBA Dress Code, adopted back in 2005, might constitute...

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Finally! Fan challenges speech restrictions at publicly owned ballpark

A lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York yesterday by a baseball fan named Bradford Campeau-Laurion, who alleges that he was kicked out of Yankee Stadium last summer by two uniformed NYPD officers for trying to go the men's room during the Seventh Inning Stretch and the playing of God Bless America. (H/T: One of my civ pro students). He thus violated a Yankee/Yankee Stadium policy, enacted explicitly because the Yankees and others purportedly found people stretching during the Stretch "disrespectful."Named defendants include New...

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Renting the KHS Green

Earlier this spring, I was delighted to discover that the KHS Green can be rented from our local Cambridge Bicycle. The cost is $25 per 24 hour period. My darling Co-habitant and I rented a men's and a ladies' and took them along the Charles River, as well as through some streets of Cambridge, Somerville, and the center of Boston. We went to some of the places we usually frequent,...

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Michigan's Contractual Liability if Paulus "Transfers" to Play QB

It certainly has been a rough year for Michigan football. The team was simply handled by a then-underrated Utah, embarrassed by mid-major Toledo, all the while beset by its coach's messy divorce from his former school. The latest news from Ann Arbor is that, in spite of its recruitment of heralded quarterback Tate Forcier, the team may be led next year by Greg Paulus.Paulus...

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Isiah Thomas, FIU Basketball Coach?

Beginning when I was around 16, I wanted to be a college basketball coach. I was a student manager in college, worked as a coach at summer basketball camps throughout college, and my first job after college was as assistant coach at a D-III school in Chicago. Basically, I was trying to set up the career trajectory that Nets Coach Lawrence Frank followed about 10 years later--short Jewish kid from NJ becomes manager at Big Ten school, parlays it into coaching career. It seems to have worked out slightly different for him than it did for me.This...

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A Few Good Links

* Darren Heitner at Sports Agent Blog has a good breakdown of how sports bloggers might be impacted by the Associated Press' new strategy to crack down on lengthy excerpts of AP stories on blogs.* William Rothstein of National Sports and Entertainment Blog has a good write-up on Professor Erin Buzuvis' recent talk at Vermont Law School on Title IX. Professor Buzuvis is the author of Title IX Blog and we're grateful to her for her time at our law school.* Kyle Veazey of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger interviews me on former Mississippi State football...

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Ooopsy daisy!

Well, it had to happen. Today Amy had her first fall - she is a bit of a run before she can walk little girl and today it bit her on her little bottom, hard! I feel like a bit of a bad Mum for putting her in the position but she is a pretty tough nut and coped remarkably well. She had been going great guns walk and trot on the lunge and she begged me to let her jump Maxi and...

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Edwin Valero: Would an Exception Knock Out the Rule?

Whether it Would be Smart for New York State to Lift Its Medical Suspension of Lightweight Champion & Knockout Artist Edwin Valero In 2004, undefeated Venezuelan junior lightweight prospect Edwin (El Inca) Valero applied for a license to box in New York State after scoring 12 first round knockouts in his first 12 professional fights. On the strength of his knockout streak, Valero was then becoming one of the hottest prospects in boxing. Valero, however, had a skeleton in his closet: a head injury sustained in a 2001 motorcycle accident. ...

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KHS Green: The Loveliest Budget Bike

[Edited to Add: There is now an updated review of this bicycle here]One stumbling block in the purchase of a classic step-through city bicycle, is the shocking price tag. Be prepared to spend upward (in some cases very much upward) of $800 USD for a quality Dutch-style bicycle with 3 or more speeds.Refreshingly, there is one alternative. During my trips to local shops, online...

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Sick happe...

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Florida Coastal Symposium

This Friday, we are hosting our annual sports law symposium titled, “NCAA Coaches’ Contracts: Diversity and Negotiating Value in the 21st Century”:FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 200910:30 am - 2:30 pmRoom 405Opening Remarks: Stuart Herman, President of Sports Law Society at Florida Coastal School of Law10:30 a.m. - noon: Maximizing Value for the CoachPanelists will discuss the various...

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Gazelle Bicycles in Boston!

Until recently, it was nearly impossible to buy a Gazelle bicycle in the US, but I have learned that the Dutch Bicycle Company in Somerville, Mass. has begun to import them this year (further evidence substantiating the rumor that Somerville is the center of the universe).Immediately I paid them a visit, and for the first time in 12 years got on a bicycle -- a black Gazelle...

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2009 Scholarly Conference on College Sport

Robert Hayden and Che Mock of the University of North Carolina pass along the following message. We wish Richard Southall and everyone else at the College Sports Research Institute the best for this year's conference, which looks to be a great event.* * *The College Sport Research Institute, with support from the University of North Carolina Sport and Entertainment Law Association will be hosting the 2009 Scholarly Conference on College Sport at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education at UNC-CH, this Thursday through Saturday....

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Gazelle Bicycles: First Glance

As I discovered, that first lovely bicycle that caught my eye was the Dutch brand Gazelle. Described as a "Dutch legend," Gazelle has been manufacturing bicycles since 1892.[image from: www.gazellebicycles.com.au]Holland is well known for being a cycling nation, where riding a bicycle is a way of life and persons of all ages can be seen happily riding while wearing suits and...

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Colts Redux? Can the Preakness be Seized?

Many remember the ill-fated attempt in the mid-1980s by the city of Baltimore to utilize eminent domain to seize the Colts under a law passed by the Maryland Legislature. Colts' then-owner Robert Irsay moved the team in the dead of night to take a deal offered by Indianapolis. In an eerie echo of this, the Governor of Maryland is seeking legislature to seize the Preakness, the second jewel of horse racing's triple crown. An excellent blog by the Wall Street Journal's law blog outlines the difficulties of the case in detail and links to a number...

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Virginia Law Softball Tourny

The 26th Annual Virginia Law Softball Invitational tournament was held last weekend. The series of softball games, featuring both men’s and co-rec divisions, raised $20,000 for Children, Youth and Family Services, a Charlottesville-based nonprofit. Out of the 112 teams that participated in the tournament from 46 law schools across the country, Florida Coastal won the championship in the men's division and Appalachian School of Law won the co-rec division. Congratulations to the members of the winning teams and to all of the law students who participated...

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Today has been craptacul...

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New Sports Law Scholarship

Recently published scholarship includes: Mark R. Bandsuch, The NBA Dress Code and other fashion faux pas under Title VII, 16 VILLANOVA SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT LAW JOURNAL 1 (2009)Kimberli Gasparon, Comment, The dark horse of drug abuse: legal issues of administering performance-enhancing drugs to racehorses, 16 VILLANOVA SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT LAW JOURNAL 199 (2009)Scott Hollander, Note, Super Bowl hero to bank account zero, 26 CARDOZO ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LAW JOURNAL 899 (2009)Michael Huntowski, Casenote, Blades of steal? The fight...

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Professor Alfred Yen on UConn Scandal

Boston College Law School Professor Alfred Yen has a terrific piece on Madisonian.Net concerning the alleged recruiting violations at UConn. Here's an excerpt.* * *Instead, Connecticut appears to have completely flouted important rules in a way suggesting that such behavior was routine. How else could those involved have failed to stop and consider the wrongfulness and consequences...

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Ponies out on lease

Some of you may not know the story behind how Bella came to me so, since she is the first horse featured in today's blog, you can check out her story HERE.This weekend just been, Nick and I went to the wedding of Sarah Cresswell and Jonathan Richardson. Sarah has leased Bella off me and she is in foal to Reilly, due next spring. I took the opportunity, whilst there to give...

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Better let the secret out - I have buns in the oven!

Amy and 'friends' (with lovely cat scratch chair in background)Easter buns that is, hehehe! Here is the recipe, thanks to Karen for the inspiration!25grams fresh yeast1 Tablespoon castor sugar50ml warm milk450g bakers flour (assume high grade flour here)pinch of salt1/4 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1-2 teaspoons mixed spice85grams caster sugar85grams butter225-300ml...

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