Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

Alito’s Woman Problem

Posted on January 2, 2006 by Michael Froomkin

William Saletan’s Right to Wife – Why does Judge Alito treat women like girls? sets out one of what I think will be the three big narratives opponents try to hang on Judge Alito. The other two, of course, will be “he’ll say anything to get a job”, and “lifelong apologist for the Imperial Presidency“. Whether even all three together can get sufficient traction to derail the nomination is not clear to me; it seems unlikely that any can do it alone, but if all three get some traction, it may be an interesting fight.

Posted in Law: The Supremes | 1 Comment

It Makes You Think

Posted on January 1, 2006 by Michael Froomkin

David Friedman’s Ideas blog will strike some as law, economics and libertarianism run wild, but I think he’s doing what academics are supposed to do: thinking, and making us think too.

Note also this piece of self-description,

I am an academic economist who teaches at a law school and has never taken a course for credit in either field.

Posted in Blogs | 8 Comments

It’s Not Too Late to Give

Posted on December 31, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

There are still several hours in the tax year. It may be too late to emulate my brother and acquire that extra two-legged tax deduction, but it’s not too late to make charitable donations online via Network for Good.

We particular favor Ashoka, Daily Bread Food Bank of Miami, EPIC, Human Rights First (formerly the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights), and the University of Miami H.O.P.E. program (student public interest programs), but there are so many good causes to choose from.

Posted in Law: Tax | Comments Off on It’s Not Too Late to Give

BlogAfrica Quiz — Easy Grading

Posted on December 30, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

BlogAfrica has a ten question news quiz on Africa in 2005. Fortunately, they’re much easier graders than I am: 60% is a passing score — and I just squeaked in.

Posted in Politics: International | 7 Comments

Don’t Even Think About It

Posted on December 29, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

Via Concurring Opinions, this marvelous piece of refried boilerplate from the AALS Section on Contracts:

IMPORTANT SMALL PRINT LEGAL DISCLAIMER

This web site is a forum for the exchange of information and points of view. Opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the Section on Contracts or of the Association of American Law Schools, which when you think about it are really only reified abstractions that have no independent existence and therefore can’t really have any “opinions” about anything at all, so we’re not sure why we have to say this. All statements herein are the sole responsibility of the authors, except for any that are inaccurate, irresponsible, tasteless, or actionable, which are solely the responsibility of student editorial assistants who are working as independent contractors and for whom we will accept absolutely no responsibility whatsoever. There are no warranties, either express or implied, for the use of this site. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice, since only an idiot would take free legal advice on an important issue from the casual musings of a law professor instead of paying a practicing lawyer who actually knows the law of the jurisdiction you’re in. Any disputes arising as a result of your use of this site shall be decided by arbitration under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce in Japan, unless you happen to be somewhere in or near Japan, in which case it shall be decided in Belgium. Your reading of this provision signifies your assent to all its terms.

Perhaps this is a good time to refer readers to my own personal web site disclaimer? (Reprinted below for your convenience.)

Continue reading →

Posted in Completely Different, Law: Everything Else | 2 Comments

Because You Need to Procrastinate at this Time of Year

Posted on December 28, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

They claim that no one can play Strange Attractors without laughing at least once. I believe it.

This game uses only one control, the space bar, which turns gravity on when you press it. Weird, silly fun.

Posted in Etc | Comments Off on Because You Need to Procrastinate at this Time of Year