Our Mormon President-to-be

Told you so.

The Most Interesting Thing I Learned Today

From wikipedia: "[Robert E.]Howard frequently corresponded with H. P. Lovecraft, and the two would sometimes insert references or elements of each others' settings in their works."

The Late Chief Justice

It seems Rehnquist's sedative-withdrawal symptoms include "paranoid delusions" of a CIA plot against him. Silly Chief Justice! He really should have known that domestic plots are the purview of the FBI, not the CIA. I have to assume the FBI jealously guards their plotting prerogatives.

Doesn't sound particularly paranoid of him, though, does it?

A prediction, but not for 2007

In advance of our new governor's inauguration, I'll go on record now predicting that Martha Coakley will be the next (elected) governor of MA, in four or eight years, depending on when Deval Patrick decides not to run (i.e. when he gets bored, if he follows recent precedent).

Legal Philosophy

Via the Volokh Conspiracy, here's an article about "legal formalism" vs. "realism" or maybe "instrumentalism." I have little (ok, no) understanding of this sort of thing. Surely there are no "formalists" who really believe that all cases are determined, and no "realists" who believe that none are (and that everything should be decided as a matter of policy). Is it just a matter of who thinks what's more important in deciding hard cases? How much attention do judges and justices pay to this sort of debate?

Well, that was exciting

They approved it, then they reconsidered, then they reconsidered reconsidering. I think.

They made SADDAM a martyr??

Wow--according to both Christopher Hitchens and Digby--how often do they agree?--Saddam's execution was even more of an appalling mess than I had thought from the vile cell-phone-snuff-movie.