sociology comes in handy

Mostly because that's where I learnt the word "anomie."

Which, curiously enough, describes how I feel right now. I'm in a state of anomie about the law, about law school, about being a lawyer, about all that stuff... mostly because this jet lag thing is still giving me a massive whupping. Sleep deprivation does not make me a happy camper. The dang thing is that if I give in and go to sleep now, I'm only going to get up at 4 a.m. again.

It's ironic that we can launch space shuttles and put a man on the moon, but we can't overcome jet lag and the limits of our own bodies. Actually I take that back; it's not ironic, it's humbling. And I'm also going to echo a sentiment first given voice by avoiding billable hours and mandela323: we can spend hundreds of millions launching space shuttles, but we give a fraction of that to help alleviate a humanitarian crisis in Niger? We are seriously messed up. Oh wait, it's called sin, right.

Law school starts up again in about 3 weeks. I don't know how I feel about that. A little less than thrilled, I think. I blame my anomie.

the dread pirate Roberts

The title of this post is a humble salutation to The Princess Bride. Apologies to all of you who didn't get the reference and thought I was attempting to imply something about President Bush's nominee for the Supreme Court. No implication was intended, although certainly I was referring to John G. Roberts, Esq.

The New York Times has quite a good article on him. It gleans information mostly from personal anecdotes shared by those familiar with him, and the portrait of the man is very flattering. I think the fact that the NY Times, certainly a newspaper on the left side of the political spectrum, paints his picture with such praiseful strokes, indicates something about the coming confirmation hearings. Barring any prior illegal immigrant nannies, past indiscretions, or some other faux pas, I think Justice O'Connor will relinquish her chambers, seat, and influence on American life, to Justice Roberts.

I'm not going to say much about the man since I (and the rest of the legal and political world) barely know him and his record. I predict that he'll do a good job as a Supreme Court justice, not kowtowing to the right but not suddenly tacking to the left either. I somewhat suspect that he might, to the right's dismay, end up being more of a Kennedy than a Rehnquist, and certainly I do not think he's going to be a Scalia or Thomas. But since he's the right's poster boy right now (bad pun entirely intended), I'll not be the naysayer.

But I think by picking Roberts, President Bush has made one thing very clear: he's a smarter cookie than he lets on. Beneath that laid-back, charming, and perhaps even slightly dull country boy facade, is one cunning Texan poker player. With all due respect to Michael Moore (and Green Day), Bush is not the half-witted American idiot he is made out to be.

1. Bush selects people based on different qualities. Seems to be that Bush is really a people person. He'll look at the resume, examine the credentials, hear the words of his wise men (and women). But he almost takes an intuitive "I know it when I see it" approach to making personnel decisions. Roberts has no record of note upon which Bush can base a prediction of future decisions. Unless the two men made some sort of blood pact in the sitting room of the Oval Office, Bush has no better idea than any other pundit out there of how Roberts will rule on a future case. I think Bush in the end made his decision based on his personal impression of Roberts qualities in their face-time. Going by the NY Times report, those qualities are certainly impressive. I've never met the guy and I already like him.
2. More importantly, Bush has made an important strategic choice with Roberts. The Dems cannot filibuster Roberts. To do so would be catastrophically damaging to their reputation in the eyes of people who matter most: the middle. Extremists on both sides are already dug into their trenches and won't come out till they're dead or the war is over. But the middle can be swayed, and if a filibuster is brought out, the Dems will need Hillary to choose Arnold as a running mate in 2008, or some other deus ex machina. The Democrats have two choices: (1) refuse to confirm until they extract what are tantamount to promises from Roberts not to overturn precious and supposedly "liberal" Supreme Court decisions; (2) allow a vote on Roberts. (1) will not happen for a multiplicity of reasons. Which leaves (2). And every Republican thus far is singing Roberts' praise like a matchmaker to the skeptical parents of an eighteen year-old.
   
3. The only way I think Roberts won't make it, short of something completely unexpected, is that more extreme Republicans get cold feet, and think that their political strength ought to allow them to bargain for a candidate more to the right. I think Bush would be an even unhappier rooster presiding over a squawking and rebellious henhouse at that point (don't ask me where my colorful imagery is coming from, I have no idea myself).
4. I think Bush's choice also demonstrates one thing: he's not as far to the right as the left would have us think. I must admit, as much as I disagree with some of his decisions and policies, my respect for the man (I'm talking about Bush) has increased once again.
   

All rise for the honorable Justice John G. Roberts of the United States Supreme Court.

drop the wifi and no one gets hurt

I got this from rebuttable presumption's blog. You're all on notice now (not that ignorance of the law was ever an excuse for a criminal offence anyway).

Man Charged With Stealing Wi-Fi Signal

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Police have arrested a man for using someone else's wireless Internet network in one of the first criminal cases involving this fairly common practice.

Benjamin Smith III, 41, faces a pretrial hearing this month following his April arrest on charges of unauthorized access to a computer network, a third-degree felony.

Police say Smith admitted using the Wi-Fi signal from the home of Richard Dinon, who had noticed Smith sitting in an SUV outside Dinon's house using a laptop computer.

The practice is so new that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement doesn't even keep statistics, according to the St. Petersburg Times, which reported Smith's arrest this week.

Innocuous use of other people's unsecured Wi-Fi networks is common, though experts say that plenty of illegal use also goes undetected: such as people sneaking on others' networks to traffic in child pornography, steal credit card information and send death threats.

Security experts say people can prevent such access by turning on encryption or requiring passwords, but few bother or are unsure how to do so.

Wi-Fi, short for Wireless Fidelity, has enjoyed prolific growth since 2000. Millions of households have set up wireless home networks that give people like Dinon the ability to use the Web from their backyards but also reach the house next door or down the street.

It's not clear why Smith was using Dinon's network. Prosecutors declined to comment, and a working phone number could not be located for Smith.

goodbye DC's rose

So if you haven't heard already, Justice O'Connor is retiring this summer. Guess she beat Rehnquist to it (although something makes me think they've consulted each other about this). I'm actually sad to see her go. Although I don't always agree with her opinions (or at least how they're written), she has been a voice of reason and moderation on what can sometimes be a very polarized Court. I'm sure someone in the blogosphere is right now compiling a list of cases where she had a significant impact. She's certainly had a say in some of the most important decisions of the Rehnquist court.

Well, I'm sure retirement is looking extremely inviting, given all the bickering and politicking that goes on in and behind and around the Supreme Court.

Thanks for all those years, Ms. J. O'Connor.

houston we have lift-off

The UCLA School of Law now (finally!) has wireless Internet access.

*and there was much rejoicing*

I guess they're testing it out over the summer and hopefully will roll it out in the fall. I cross my fingers and hope this means I can check my e-mail from the courtyard. And of course I'd never ever surf the Internet during lectures! (I'm shocked that you would ever level such an accusation at me - I'll be too busy trying to perfect my skills at Spider Solitaire.)

PostScript - I really do love my summer job - being a research assistant has got to be the best job evah.