Idiot Professor Rethinks Stupidity; Jones v. Minkin Dismissed

So our favorite idiotic law Professor from yesterday appears to have had a change of heart.  I guess my prediction about it not surviving a motion to dismiss can probably never be tested now.  The Plaintiff, Professor Donald Jones of the University of Miami, voluntarily agreed to dismiss the case under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure  Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(i)(B).  He still has the ability to refile, but I highly doubt he is that stupid.

How a Smart Person Can Look Really Stupid

It seems that University of Miami Professor of Law Donald Jones has it perfected.

Step 1:

Get accused of soliciting an undercover cop for sex in exchange for a payment of $20.

Step 2:

Get said “record” “expunged” after the case is dismissed.

Step 3:

File a lawsuit against a satirical legal blog that found your case hilarious.  Make sure to write at a 9th grade level in the complaint and include, by my count anyway, at least one comma splice in the first two pages.  Do not retain the services of a lawyer.  Because you spend several pages of the complaint beating your chest about being a law professor, you can be sure that the services of another attorney are useless (not to mention that you are not sure anyone will take this frivolous case).  Make sure to repeatedly point out that the people who made fun of you are actually racists, and that is why they find it hilarious that a law professor was arrested for (allegedly) breaking the law.

Step 4:

Watch the blogosphere explode with links to your complaint, while even more people laugh at you than before.  Ain’t free speech great?

The Irrational Basis for Chief Illiniwek Hatred

I entered an “argument” today with a Chief Illiniwek hater.  I say “argument” because I was not given any analysis as to why our Chief should have been removed from our campus, but rather, conclusions reinforcing the opinion that Chief Illiniwek’s removal from our sporting events was necessary.

New Video from Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

The FIRE, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education just celebrated its tenth anniversary with a black tie dinner in New York on October 22, 2009.  I worked for FIRE this past summer as an intern.  Perhaps my bias will show in how much I enjoyed this video, because I have personally met almost everyone featured in it!  With that said, it chronicles some of the most ridiculous cases where FIRE has defended students against unconstitutional, unethical, and absolutely deplorable actions by college administrators to limit the students’ freedom of speech, expression, religion, association, and conscience.

I hope everyone enjoys the video.  Thank you, FIRE, for all the hard work you have done on behalf of students everywhere in America.  With your help, we can restore freedom of speech on our nation’s campuses.

Hilarious Political Cartoon from the Daily Illini

This was printed in the Daily Illini today.

Of course this is a massive overstatement of the problem, but it is still hilarious.  A strike by the graduate students would be a disaster, but revoking Herman’s tenure would be nearly impossible.  I do believe that process should begin immediately, but I won’t hold my breath.

In the mean time, enjoy the cartoon.

Jose Padilla’s Case Goes Forward

Some of you may be aware of Jose Padilla, the American citizen who was held without charges for years as an “unlawful enemy combatant.”  If hearing that part of the story does not shock you into disbelief, his case against former Deputy Attorney General (from the Bush Administration) and current University of California-Berkeley Professor of Law John Yoo will.  Yoo is the author of the famous “torture memos” that supposedly authorized the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques on those held as unlawful enemy combatants.

Chancellor Richard Herman Resigns!

Chancellor Richard Herman resigned yesterday.  Here is his final email:

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

As you likely know, I have given the Board of Trustees my resignation.

It has been the great privilege of my life to serve for 11 years as your
Provost and Chancellor. I will not reiterate the complicated and agonizing
steps that have brought us to this place, except to say that I regret the
circumstances. I'm confident that Illinois will be stronger for all that
we have learned from the controversy. Ours is a great university--great
because of its distinguished history; its brilliant, dedicated and
hardworking faculty and staff; and its smart and idealistic students.

I am proud that many initiatives launched during my time will continue:
the 100 new faculty excellence professors, the ethnic and multiracial
studies programs, the Institute for Genomic Biology, and the Illinois
Promise Program that has brought 700 students from low income families to
campus with the promise that they will graduate debt-free. Yet I did none
of this alone. We did it all together. We achieved great things on our
watch because greatness is built into the bone and sinew of Illinois.
Never doubt it. Always strive for it. And remember that great aspirations
must always precede great achievements. The excellence and creativity long
embedded in our university was always the source of my inspiration.

I thank all of you for helping to make Illinois better. I prepare to step
down as Chancellor knowing that my contributions are left behind for
others to build upon, as I built upon the contributions of those before
me. It would be disingenuous for me not to acknowledge that my resignation
pains me deeply. But I do not worry about the University of Illinois.
Great institutions are stronger than any one person who leads them. And
Illinois is a great institution. As I return to become a member of the
faculty, I plan to do my small part to continue to contribute, and I know
all of you will do the same.

At Illinois, as always, we will go onward and upward.

I’m just glad this trash will be his last. Herman should have been gone in May when I called for his resignation. The best part is this man thinks he will be teaching mathematics at this university. This is alongside former University of Illinois President B. Joseph White, who claims he will be teaching “ethics” in our business school. God help us all.

He will also be taking a year off and drawing his $244,000 Professor salary in the mean time.  I cannot fathom how he is worthy of sabbatical leave, but if any of my readers can explain this, I would welcome your comments.

Somehow I am not so sure that Herman will be producing high-quality scholarship while he is on sabbatical leave.

A View Inside the Supreme Court of the United States

This documentary is perhaps the most wonderful that I have seen showing the inside of the Supreme Court of the United States–the area in which “the nine,” the most prestigious Court in all of our land, hears cases of particular relevance–those in which the path, and the future, of our liberties are tested, won, and, in some cases, are lost as well.

I hope some of my readers will take the time to view this excellent video.  Special thanks to Professor Orin Kerr, an author at The Volokh Conspiracy, for providing this link.

Chicago Tribune Sues the University of Illinois over Admissions Scandal Records

The University of Illinois is engaged in a new fight in the admissions scandal that has been widely reported in the media.  This time, it is in court.

The Chicago Tribune newspaper, which first broke the scandal in May, filed a lawsuit in June regarding the names and other details relating to the students who were admitted under Category I, the university code name for the secret admissions list that allowed less-qualified applicants to obtain admission to the elite university.  The Daily Illini recently reported that the lawsuit was amended this week, which seeks the names, ACT scores, and high school GPAs of the applicants.

I support this.  We live in far too private a society, which has no benefits and substantial costs to our freedom.  The words of Justice Brandeis ring loud and clear in this instance:

Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.

I think this university needs an awful lot of sunlight to fix this mess.

Chicago Olympic Bid Fails!

I have not expressed my distaste towards Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid, but I am glad that it failed.  NPR reported that Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 games.  Chicago placed fourth, behind Tokyo, Japan and Madrid, Spain.