Monthly Archives: March 2005

RSS Feeds By Subject

Posted on March 9, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

In Ottawa, one of the techies [OK it was the incomparable RSS Feeds By Subject. Of course if you just want the whole thing, full text RDF and XML feeds are available.

Posted in Discourse.net | 2 Comments

Were the Votes Counted In MD?

Posted on March 9, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

I tend to believe that any big scandal will out fairly fast; people talk.[1] So pending some confirmation, I'm filing as 'tinfoil' this allegation that there were massive systemic failures across Maryland involving Diebold AccuVote-TS machines last November — problems with “lost votes, multiple machine failures and even unreadable data cartridges”. But if true it would be very troubling indeed.

[1.] I used to also believe that big scandals cause pressure for reform, but that belief has been badly dented by the multiple scandals of the current administration which have failed to excite popular interest (or even media interest). It's enough to make Marcuse start looking good.

Posted in Politics: Tinfoil | 5 Comments

Zanita E. Fenton to Join UM Law Faculty

Posted on March 8, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

Prof. Zanita FentonI'm very pleased to announce that Zanita E. Fenton, currently an Associate Professor at Wayne State Law School, will be joining our faculty next year as a full Professor. Zanita visited here last year, and I'm looking forward to having her back permanently.

[Update: I have no idea why Zanita's picture won't show up in some versions of IE.]

[Update 2: I have no idea why adding

img{position:relative;}

to my stylesheet fixed the problem. But it seems that it did. Here's hoping it doesn't also introduce new ones….]

Posted in U.Miami | 3 Comments

Miami Herald On Wireless Use at UM Law.

Posted on March 8, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

Today's Miami Herald runs an article, Wireless web treads fine line on campus (reg. req.), discussing the increased use of wireless computers at UM Law. The reporter who interviewed and quoted me seemed primarily interested in whether students are using the new tools to goof off in class, although that isn't the most interesting thing about wireless. But that's what the bulk of the article is about.

I actually think my students are taking notes on those things, but maybe I'm naive…

[UPDATE: Below I've added the stuff the Herald quoted me as saying for the benefit of those put off by the Herald's registration requirement.]

Continue reading →

Posted in U.Miami | 8 Comments

I Should Have Known

Posted on March 8, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

David Bernstein writes in Friends in High Places that

“A well known tactic in getting a good placement for a law review article is for the author to thank in the first footnote important friends and colleagues who read and commented on the piece.” The message to student editors is, “you may know who I am, or anything about the subject matter, but this article must be important or these important people would not have bothered to read it.”

I'm such a dope that this never even ocurred to me. Perhaps because when I was a student law review editor I couldn't have cared less who was in the starred footnote.

Oh. Wait.

Perhaps Heidi Bond has better advice.

Posted in Law School | 1 Comment

‘It Can’t Happen Here’ Is Online

Posted on March 7, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

Sinclair Lewis's under-appreciated novel, It Can't Happen Here is online at Project Gutenberg! Slightly dated though it may be, I think it has something to say to us in an all-too-believable way about creeping home-grown fascism.

One day reading Godwin's Law, by Interent lawyer and provacteur Mike Godwin, and I've already learned something.

Posted in Readings | 2 Comments