Rain, Rain Go Away? Or on Second Thought, Stay!

I have not been cycling for the past week due to nonstop rain. But today I finally could not take it anymore: Despite the overcast sky and the morbid forecast, I went. By mid-day, it did rain. And it was great!Some nice things about cycling in the rain:. it's good for your complexion. you can sing in it (and I did!). the grass and trees look super green, almost neon. the...

Read More

Ballpark t-shirt case in Texas?

A woman wearing a "Yankees Suck" t-shirt was threatened with removal from The Ballpark in Arlington last week. And the story is drawing some national attention (ED: Contains video line; I removed video from post because it was playing automatically).The Rangers have received a number of complaints about the word sucks and consider it impermissible profanity that is offensive to "many people." The woman is not talking about suing, only about wanting the Rangers to change their policy; she concedes that the park is private property (something I continue...

Read More

The Pashley Princess: How the Choice Was Made

I have been asked by several people now why I chose the Pashley Princess over the Gazelle and other options, so I wanted to describe the process that led to this decision.First, I want to say that I do not necessarily think that Pashley is "the best" bicycle. It was the right choice for me, and this decision was based on very subjective criteria. In terms of quality, I think...

Read More

Blog Overhaul

I finally got around to overhauling the blog. I changed the font to make it unreadable and simplified the sidebar a bit. It is probably not an improvement, but I did want to simplify things a bit. I had too much shit going on in that sidebar. Now, if I could just simplify my li...

Read More

What happens in Delaware...

The possibility of sports gambling in Delaware is one step closer to becoming a reality. In March 2009, Delaware Governor Jack Markell requested an opinion from the Delaware Supreme Court regarding the legality of Delaware’s proposed sports lottery. On Wednesday, the Delaware Supreme Court ruled that the lottery does not violate the Delaware Constitution. Here are some questions you might have regarding this development, with a few answers.I don’t understand. No lawsuit has been filed. Why is the Delaware Supreme Court giving an opinion on...

Read More

On the hunt ...

I had a call last night from a very nice lady who wanted to buy Robbie. I told her that he was not for sale but it got me thinking and realising that I really need to start working on finding him a new girlfriend. Now that I have had Meg home for a few weeks and have REALLY loved my rides on her, I am tempted to start breeding and producing purebreds for under saddle. They make such wonderful, active riding mounts and are perfect for everyday riders wanting extraordinary horses!So, the hunt is on for a registered purebred mare. We are not in a...

Read More

Viennese Cyclists

I have finally gotten up the nerve to go beyond photographing parked bicycles, and to capture cyclists in actions. Here they are, on the streets of Vienna.These photos were taken over the course of several days, along my normal walking routes.Looking at these now, I am struck by how distinctly un-picturesque the surroundings are -- something that is actually quite difficult...

Read More

Meg and Maxi have an adventure

First up we have Reilly 'sharing' his breakfast with his pesky goat neighbour. Clearly you can see that China (who is obviously starving) must ... have ... food!!!Next we have some photos from today's ride. Maxi had his very first ride down the road and Meg had her very first ride down the road WITH company. The 'kids' had a blast and we went about 2km down the road and then...

Read More

A Tale of Two Juniors

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Tony Eury, Jr. are a duo that simply suck. This is the only thing left for Dale to do. He has to part ways with his crew chief.Will things get better for the 88? That is hard to tell, but it can't get worse. But my own personal view on the subject is it is all on Dale, Jr. A driver like Kyle Busch simply wins no matter who the crew chief or the owner is. Busch is what Junior fans want in their driver. Junior sucks. Period.I've talked to a lot of non-Junior fans, and they all say the same thing. He is a mediocre driver with...

Read More

The StarCaps Saga Continues

As you might recall, five NFL players—Kevin and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings and Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister, and Will Smith of the New Orleans Saints—were suspended for four games last year after testing positive for bumetanide. Bumetanide, a diuretic, is banned under the NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances (the “NFL Policy”) because it can be used to mask the presence of steroids. The players claimed that they inadvertently ingested the bumetanide when they took StarCaps, an over-the-counter weight-loss supplement....

Read More

Perjury in Congressional Hearings on College Bowl System and the BCS?

Congress conducted hearings on the college bowl system earlier this month. Now, reporters have raised questions regarding whether bowl defenders committed perjury or acted in contempt of Congress in claiming that most bowl games are organized by charitable groups and that tens of millions of dollars earned by the bowls go to charity. Yahoo.com stories are here and here, and BYU law professor Gordon Smith weighs in at the Conglomerate bl...

Read More

Not feeling well tod...

Read More

The "Fendi Abici Bike" in Vogue Magazine

A friend sent me this great scan from the June 2009 issue of American Vogue:"Girls, go tell the groom that we've found the gift of all gifts to give his bride on the big day. (He does know that one's in order, right?) The Abici Amante Donna city bike now comes fitted with Fendi's luxest Selleria leather accessories. Seat, handles, thermos case, and GPS holder are all cut and...

Read More

NPR on Sotomayor's baseball decision

Audio he...

Read More

His Pashley Roadster Arrives!

[edited to add: There is now a review of this bicycle here.]The end result of our frenzied search, was that both my darling Co-Habitant and I decided to buy Pashleys: he the Roadster Sovereign (which comes only in black), and I the Princess Sovereign in green. My Princess is getting some custom work done at Harris Cyclery (a coaster brake installed) and will be waiting for...

Read More

New Sports Law Scholarship

Recently published scholarship includes:Scott A. Anderson, A call for drug-testing of high school student-athletes, 19 MARQUETTE SPORTS LAW REVIEW 325 (2008)Genevieve F. E. Birren & Jeremy C. Fransen, The body and the law: how physiological and legal obstacles combine to create barriers to accurate drug testing, 19 MARQUETTE SPORTS LAW REVIEW 253 (2008)Jonathan F. Duncan & Kristina V. Giddings, Which Washington: Constitutions in conflict?, 19 MARQUETTE SPORTS LAW REVIEW 231 (2008)Marc Edelman, Moving past collusion in Major League Baseball:...

Read More

Judge Sotomayor's Sports Law Opinions

It's official: as Professor cummings predicted earlier this month, the President will nominate Second Circuit Judge and die-hard Yankees fan Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Perhaps more than any Supreme Court nominee in history, Judge Sotomayor has a long record of adjudicating major sports law cases, dating back to her time on the district court. Among her notable sports...

Read More

Pete Rose and the Hall of Fame

A commenter to my post on steroids and the Hall of Fame asks about Pete Rose. I thought it warranted a new post, rather than a comment. I actually wrote about this point three years ago.Rose should not be in the Hall, because different rules apply. Rose is ineligible for the Hall under Rule 3E, which bars selection of anyone who is on MLB's permanently ineligible list. Rose is on that list because he agreed to be placed on the list (which he did to avoid the now-we-know-was-inevitable finding that he did, in fact, bet on games involving the Reds)....

Read More

Hall of Fame, Steroids, and Cheating

Zev Chafets argues on ESPN that steroid users should not be kept out of the Hall of Fame. His argument is that steroid users are no different than players of past generations, many of whom engaged in questionable activities off the field (consorting with gamblers, the Klan, and gangsters) and were "happy to use any substance they thought would give them an edge" on the field. As to the latter category, Chafets points to Hall of Famers of the past using non-anabolic steroids, amphetamines, monkey testosterone (hey, it was 1899), and other substances....

Read More

Employers get mad when applicants lie on their resumes. Job seekers get mad when companies lie on job descriptio...

Read More

In Defense of the "Frivolous" Bike Craze

[J. Crew catalog excerpt; image from pink-to-green.blogspot.com]During the past two years, traditionally styled bicycles have gained considerable popularity in the US. Fashion models in ad campaigns have been featured riding Gazelle and Jorg & Olif, celebrities have been photographed cruising around on their Electras, and there is over a dozen weblogs now across North...

Read More

The biggest argument against Objectivism is the lack of humor among randroi...

Read More

Meet Saffron

So there is snow LOW on the Tararua mountains today and the weather over the last few days has been nothing short of absolutely HIDEOUS! Saffy and Libby have been sharing the yards because I have not wanted to put her out in the paddock with the mob until I am sure she is ready. She spent the first 24 hours thinking about jumping out (don't think I have ever seen a horse...

Read More

Will Michael Vick Return to the NFL?

I have a new SI.com column on this topic. Here's an excerpt.* * *What will Goodell do? He appears poised to reinstate Vick for the 2009 season, though probably with onerous strings attached, such as Vick facing permanent expulsion should he get into any trouble. Without expressly saying so, Goodell has laid out a roadmap for Vick's reinstatement. He has conditioned reinstatement...

Read More

"Redskins" Case and the Dangers of "Reply All"

After the Washington Redskins won at the D.C. Circuit last week, which I discussed here, the team's law firm learned a valuable lesson in the dangers associated with the "reply all" function of Microsoft Outlook. The legal gossip blog Above-the-Law has a series of e-mails exchanged by lawyers at the victorious law fi...

Read More

Truth is not a chess mat...

Read More

Kitty Inspects English Craftsmanship

My cat has just emailed to inform me that while I've been away, my lucky Co-habitant has acquired a Pashley!...

Read More

WADA-code in the EU

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is the foundation which has been established to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against doping in all forms of sport. In pursuing this aim WADA cooperates with intergovernmental organizations, governments, public authorities and other public and private bodies fighting against doping in sport.One of the most important tools for...

Read More

The new kid on the block and Maxi's big adventure

Maxi has only ever been ridden by Amy. I am about 40kg too heavy for him and I have never had the opportunity to put a small rider on him, until now. Bernou is not short, she is the same height as me BUT she is slim as a slim thing and she offered to hop on and introduce him to the joys of being ridden off the lead rein.OMG was he cute or what?! Walk, trot and canter and a...

Read More

On Jeremy Mayfield: You’ve Got a Fast Car, and an Unusual Drug Policy.

Let me start this post about Jeremy Mayfield’s indefinite suspension for violating NASCAR’s new drug policy with two admissions. First, for many years, my favorite stock car driver was Cole Trickle. Second, I have found myself shouting “shake and bake”(in my head) after making a good point in class. Over the past few years, however, I have gained a new appreciation for NASCAR and real stock car drivers, and Trickle has slipped out of my top spot (I’m not ready to give up on shake and bake yet).Now, on to the Mayfield situation. Most of you...

Read More

"Tie goes to the runner" and other myths

I recently have been reading journalist Bruce Weber's book, As They See 'Em: A Fan's Travels in the Land of Umpires. It is a fun read, providing great insight into the history, politics, and nuances of umpiring. I was interested in it for the insight it may shed on the much-despised judge-umpire analogy, this time from the umpire perspective. I may write a book review on it, focusing on the analogy and what it teaches us about that.For now, I wanted to mention one thing that caught my eye. As far back as Little League, we learned (and constantly...

Read More

The cart horse goes to the dressage ...

I don't think we frightened the DQ's too much when we descended upon them at the first day of the Solway Dressage Group's winter dressage series. Meg was adorable, as always, and behaved impeccably. She was a little unsure of the pinto pony she met first up (Is it a cow? Is it a horse??) but I think she would have loved to get to know him a little better. We just pottered...

Read More