- Digby writes about a disturbing video that was ahead of its time.
- Flablog writes about two surprisingly smart appointments announced by Florida Governor-Elect Charlie Crist. I agree they’re good, especially Bob Butterworth for the cesspool at the Dept. of Children and Families. But I’m slightly more cynical than Flablog here: part of DCF’s problem is criminal mis-management by far-right wingers. But another part of it is that DCF has been starved for resources. Putting a heavyweight honest Democrat in charge may fix the first problem (if he’s given a free hand with personnel), but that appointment alone will not fix the second. And meanwhile, the appointment conveniently hangs the albatross one of Florida’s biggest problems around the Democratic party — or at least away from the GOP. Smart politics, absolutely. Potential for good outcomes — amazingly so. But far from in the bag.
- As Lifehacker notes, This one rates a high on the geek scale, but it’s still sort of interesting to learn what you get if you have an eight-page-long URI: A graphic! Got to wonder how sp*mmers will use that one…
- Read my brother’s column, The Carpetbagger Report, TalkLeft…if you don’t already.
Recent Bluessky Posts- Interesting 🧵 August 13, 2026 Michael Froomkin
- We have such a great immigration clinic at @miamilawschool.bsky.social August 13, 2026 Michael Froomkin
- This is how you do it. August 12, 2026 Michael Froomkin
- “The Vesting Clauses Are Not Law” (forthcoming 2026 in the Iowa Law Review) argues that it is a mistake to read the Constitution’s Vesting Clauses as sources of substantive law. Doing so produces either a contradiction in the Constitution’s text or implications that are not palatable for formalists. August 12, 2026 David Froomkin
- Yikes! Chemical testing reveals that lots of household and personal care products, including many so-called organic ones, contain undisclosed and sometimes toxic chemicals. But where is the actual list of products with secret chemicals? pubs.acs.org/ehnea2/artic... August 12, 2026 Michael Froomkin
Here are a couple of things about the linked video, though. First, the singer refers to America using female pronouns. I’ve never understood why countries get gendered, and in this context, given that it was largely men who began the Iraq war, if America needs representational gonads, I’m thinking a big dick might be most suitable. Seriously, I know it sounds like a small point but language has power. Second, I wonder if the familes of the soldiers depcted in the video, who I assume are soldiers who were killed, were alerted or asked for permission with resect to the use of the photos. I know this probably isn’t legally necessary but I think it is ethically required.
I think your brother’s right on substance but “increasingly few”? CLANK!