Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

The Ultimate Case of Obama Derangment Syndrome

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

Conspiracy Theory Claims President Teleported to Mars.

(“Obama Derangement Syndrome” explained.)

Posted in Politics: Tinfoil | 3 Comments

Internet Kill Switch Talk

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

Slides from my talk on the Internet ‘Kill Switch’ bill, SB 3480. (link fixed, thanks MD)

Posted in Law: Internet Law, Talks & Conferences | 1 Comment

Going to AALS 2012 in Washington, DC

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

I haven’t been to the AALS in a long time — maybe not since 2005? — but I’m going this year. The American Association of Law Schools annual convention is the largest meeting of US-based law professors, with some 2,500 attendees. It’s part trade association meeting, part academic conference, part social event. I’m not convinced it does any of those three things terribly well, although there were always some sections that I thought put on good programs including the section on Administrative Law and the section on the Internet and Computer Law.

The main reason I’m going is that I’m speaking on the Internet and Computer Law Section’s panel on the “The Legal and Policy Implications of the Internet Kill Switch,” scheduled for 4:00-5:45 p.m. on Friday, January 6th in Delaware Suite A on the Lobby Level of the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. I think it will be an interesting panel, and I will post my slides once they are more polished.

I’ll also be doing some publicity for the online law journal I edit, Jotwell, plus hosting an informal event for Jotwell editors and reviewed authors.

As usual, I’ve neglected the social side, so please email me if you are reading this and want to get together. I’ll be around Thursday – Saturday.

Posted in Talks & Conferences | Comments Off on Going to AALS 2012 in Washington, DC

Those Were The Days

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

Internet Code Ring! (Interview with Phil Zimmermann, circa 1993).

Posted in Cryptography | Comments Off on Those Were The Days

A Modest Proposal (Drug Tests Edition)

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

Perhaps it is time to subject investment bankers and derivatives traders to routine random drug tests. It’s widely believed that many of them use cocaine (although meth use may be rising), and I read that drug use on Wall Street is a real problem, although of course it has also beem rampant for a long time. The health of the economy is too important to be left in the hands of potentially drug-addled brains.

After all if it’s necessary to drug test welfare applicants and unemployed people seeking job training (who have the same 2% positive rate as found on Wall St) and high school football players, it is all the more important to drug test the masters of finance given the enormous effect that their work has on others.

Or, perhaps, we should agree to only drug test people armed with weapons or holding security clearances?

Posted in 99%, Econ & Money: Mortgage Mess, Science/Medicine | 5 Comments

It’s So Miami

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

I pick on the Miami Herald a fair bit, although not as much as it deserves given how far it has fallen from its glory days. But I guess that means I should also toss the occasional laurel.

Today’s paper has as its major above-the-fold story an item about how Miami leads the nation in ‘vanity’ — a trait measured in a not-very-serious-manner as follows:

Miami recently ranked as the most vain city in America, based on residents’ responses to a poll conducted by Mandala Research and released by LivingSocial.

The survey found that half of Miami respondents consider themselves an 8, 9 or 10 in looks.

Miami also topped the nation in such procedures as laser hair removal, tummy tucks, liposuction and collagen injections, according to the poll, based on the perhaps-unscientific percentage of respondents who know someone who had the work done.

You might think I would object to such pseudo-science dominating my front page. But in fact, the headline was perfect: “We’re so vain: We probably think this story is about us”. Not what I want to see every day in my paper, but it made me smile. And I imagine it will be talked about. Which actually makes it better than a lot of the dull stuff in that paper.

That said, I might mention two other somewhat bright spots: The Local section has degraded much less than front. There’s still real news there, just not enough of it. And as the news staff of the Herald shrinks, it is running more content from Bloomberg and from the political reporters at its partner newspapers in the state, some of whom are quite good.

As to the looks, I will say that it is often a shock to go back to the North East, especially in winter. Everyone is so pale and unhealthy-looking…

Posted in Miami, The Media | 2 Comments