Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

UM Plans for Pre-Debate Lockdown

Snippet from Official Email in my inbox:

As a security measure, the University has decided that from Monday, September 27 through Thursday, September 30, all faculty, administration, staff, and students must wear their University ID while on campus.

This is the announcement the University has made, on [URL]:

“All University of Miami faculty members, staff, and students will be required to wear their UM identification ('Cane Card) at all times while on the Coral Gables campus from Monday, September 27, through Thursday, September 30. Faculty, staff, and students without proper identification may be stopped by security personnel and asked to leave campus. Faculty, staff, and students who do not have a 'Cane Card are strongly urged to obtain one now in Allen Hall, Room 111.

“There is no charge for an initial 'Cane Card. If you have lost your 'Cane Card, a replacement costs $15. Lanyards will be distributed at various locations on campus, including University of Miami parking garages, parking lots, the food court, and events attended by UM faculty, staff, and students. In addition, individual University departments and divisions also will distribute lanyards with plastic holders to employees. “

You should also check [another URL] for additional information.

From which I conclude two things. First, the media/blog hoo-ha about how GW hasn't agreed to any debates yet is a waste of time. He's coming. Second, this will be a good week to work at home.

Posted in U.Miami | 8 Comments

FLorida – Taking It From Every Side

Take a look at this picture in which it looks as though Tropical Storm Jeanne, which was going to miss Florida may instead take a sharp left and attack the state from the one direction we haven't been hit yet.
Jeanne1.gif

It does seem consistent with the idea that Someone is either warning or punishing Florida, doesn't it?

Posted in Florida | 2 Comments

Who’s A Rat?

Wow, you do find some amazing stuff online. Consider Who's A Rat, which bills itself as the “Largest Online Database of Informants and Agents” and comes complete with pix of “rats of the week”.

I'd be more tempted to think it's a spoof site were it not for this warning to law enforcement agents to avoid the site for fear of having their IP addresses logged.

Posted in Internet | 3 Comments

Bush Campaign, Diabolical Strategy

Zell Miller wasn't enough, now this.

Posted in Completely Different | 4 Comments

Why Betty Castor is Going to Win in Florida

I used to do a lot of retail politics. One of my very unscientific tests for how a campaign is doing is how they handle phone calls: Campaigns that don’t answer before the third ring will lose. Campaigns that don’t give great phone will lose. Alas, the reverse is not inevitably true—quick pickup and great phone alone are not enough to ensure a win, especially if no one ever calls.

But let me tell you, I’ve never seen or heard such great phone as I just got from calling Betty Castor’s HQ. (Castor is the Democratic nominee for Senate, running against the unscrupulous hate-peddling Mel Martinez.) Earlier today I tried to make a donation on the web page, and got an ‘internal server error’ so I called up the campaign HQ (I got the number from Google's cache of the front page) to tell them about it. The phone was answered just as the second ring began. I told the perky lady on the phone why I was calling, and she gave me her name (Rebecca), thanked me for reporting it, said she’d look into it, and then added that meanwhile she could take credit cards over the phone. So I made my not particularly munificent donation (we are rebuilding our house, there are many good causes, cash flow isn’t all it could be), only to be thanked as if I just pledged several thousand dollars. Another couple of minutes of pleasant chit-chat, and I was dispatched.

Impressive.

PS. My email to tech support also got a quick emailed reply saying that they were investigating.

Posted in Florida | 1 Comment

Let’s Beat a Dead Horse (fun for the whole family)

More CBS documents links, because they are there.

Lquilter.net has a nice roundup of typography links.

Robert has a nice summary of what real documents show (and don't show) about orders disobeyed.

Eschaton points up the dog that didn't bark: the White House sure thought the documents were real.

Posted in Politics: US: GW Bush Scandals | Comments Off on Let’s Beat a Dead Horse (fun for the whole family)