Long time no blog

Well, it's been a long year. Suffice to say, our local chapter had plenty of events, and with summer around, I'm going to get back into this.

From the "why even bother" files

Not really legally related but an interesting problem. California State Senator Alan Lowenthal feels that electric cars are too quiet and proposed a bill, which passed and is up with the governor.

It would establish a committee to study the issue and recommend ways the vehicles could make more noise. The recommendations would be due by 2010.

Now, I can surely think of one way for full electric cars to make noise. The concern is that blind and visually impaired people would not be able to hear a car approaching and could be hit. Here's my question: couldn't that be solved by regular tort liability? The car companies would be better at figuring out what's the appropriate noise level to do things, versus the state of California (potential for 50 different nonsensical state regulations as well).

If you think the problems we create are bad, just wait until you see our solutions

First of all, I love the new Despair, Inc. demotivator. I have a nice Government one sitting right on my desk.

Citizens from the city of Plainfield fought to keep a Wal-Mart and a Lowe's out. People wanted industry instead. They won and instead they got RPM Recycling, a metal-shredding plant that now creates noise like a freight train and frequent explosions. Now, of course, people want the city to stop the new plant. Wonder what will come next.

Goldwater the Neocon?

I've been reading Barry Goldwater's autobiography, and I was disturbed to find that he was against the War Powers Resolution, which allows the President to use military force for up to 60 days without Congressional approval. His main criticism is that this limits the President's power to wage war, and that the only constraint on the commander-in-chief power is when the voters kick him out.

I was very perplexed after reading this because Ron Paul has invoked Goldwater's name so many times. Despite Goldwater's views on reducing the size of government, he appears to have no problems with an expansive U.S. military force and Congress' inability to pass a declaration of war. Maybe Ron Paul needs to find a new historical figure to appeal to.

Death and Taxes

The traditional line is that only two things are inevitable, death and taxes. But according to George Will, this overlooks a key difference between the two: death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets.

And you can get good campaign mileage by inflating your resume

A find by Ricky, Obama has the solution to stop drilling in ANWAR.

Legally Changing Your Name

Eugene Volokh has an article about name changes that were so weird, the judge refused to grant them.