Monthly Archives: February 2010

Open Seat in FL-25

OK, this is a bit complicated and very Florida. Bear with me.

1. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL21), who won a comfortable victory against a very flawed challenger in 2008, is retiring from Congress. Word has it that he's keeping his powder dry for a restoration of the ancestral kleptocracy in Cuba.

2. His brother, Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL25), who didn't win a huge victory despite a flawed campaign by a good challenger in 2008, is going to change districts and run from FL-21 instead of FL-25, because FL-25 is trending Democrat faster than FL-21, which remains a quality gerrymander.

3. Speculation is that Joe Garcia, currently heading the Office of Minority Economic Impact for the Department of Energy, may run again in FL-25. If so, I hope he runs a more grass-rootsy and less expensive-consultant-driven campaign. We don't need and can't afford Joe Trippi for this one. We do need a very experienced and organized campaign manger.

(More coverage in the Herald, Lincoln Diaz-Balart's exit from Congress sets off political scramble)

Posted in Politics: 2010 Election, Politics: FL-25/FL-27 | 8 Comments

Too Complicated for the USA

Video backing Robin Hood tax on banks from a country that still has occasional progressive twitches before elections.

Via Blenderlaw (what? you don't read Blenderlaw.com???)

Posted in Econ & Money | 7 Comments

Sanity Check

Would it be insane to fly to DC on Friday for a conference? A really really good conference?

Update: It looks like it is canceled.

Posted in Talks & Conferences | 6 Comments

Geek Valentines

Romantic Cryptography.

From the abstract:

We show how Alice and Bob can establish whether they love each other, but without the embarrassement of revealing that they do if the other party does not share their feelings.

(Via Light Blue Touchpaper)

Posted in Cryptography | 1 Comment

UM Law Freezes (and Partly Lowers) Tuition

Hot news from UM Law Dean White:

I am pleased to be able to announce that there will be NO tuition increase for the 2010-2011 academic year. In fact, while full-time tuition will remain at its current level of $18,709 per semester, the per credit tuition amount charged for part-time attendance will be reduced to $1337 from its current level of $1633.

The new part-time number lowers the cost of summer classes and of taking non-cross-listed courses elsewhere in the university.

I suppose this is one good outcome from the salary freeze.

Posted in U.Miami | 3 Comments

Law Internet Down; World Isoloated

UM law school's internet connection is down, and we're told it will be hours not minutes before it comes back up. So, no email for me; apologies if you are trying to get in touch.

Update: All fixed. Seems the A/C went out in the server room….

Posted in U.Miami | Comments Off on Law Internet Down; World Isoloated