More than 50 years ago John Rawls wrote a famous essay in which he defended utilitarian theories of punishment from the charge they justified punishing innocent people under certain circumstances. The idea is that if the central function of punishment is to deter crime (as opposed...
Two recent social interactions:(1) Friend at work sends me email asking for some advice regarding refinancing. I reply with some thoughts but add that she should talk to a real.
Yves Smith suggests, in light of this NYT front-pager, that the administration may be distancing itself from Geithner. Unfortunately they may be drawing the wrong implications:Thus what is surprising about.
Shorter Stuart Taylor: It is well-established that criminal laws can only be applied if it can be proven that lawbreaking had no positive consequence whatsoever.* By far the most reliable guide to whether such consequences exist is the highly reliable unsubstantiated assertions of the lawbreakers themselves....
I must credit Michael Scheuer; all previous efforts at pro-torture buffoonery pale in comparison to this:In surprisingly good English, the captive quietly answers: 'Yes, all thanks to God, I do.
Tempest in a teapot, or gather the guns and bottled water and head for the hills?
All,If you've sent me an e-mail with an interesting story or link or book that you think I'd be interested in writing on, odds are strong that it's still there, with a star next to it. Same thing applies to a query or angry tirade. Most...
Attending the NFL draft in the jersey of your favorite team to cheer and boo your team's selections is the lamest thing a sports fan can do.
11.1 innings pitched, 18 earned runs, 19 hits, 8 walks.... this is the Verdun of my fantasy pitching staff.
I'm generally opposed to the idea of national anthems before sporting events in principle, but hockey games in Chicago justify the practice.
Shorter David Broder: Illegal and immoral acts by public officials shouldn't be subjected to prosecution as long as said officials really thought they were a good idea. Besides, it would.
Yes, I sure hope that the GOP will emulate the strategy that brought Jim Tedesco such smashing success. I mean, Glenn Reynolds thinks that this race proves that Barack Obama.