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Daily Archives: August 26, 2018

Donald Trump, Twitter and Presidential Power to Interpret the Law for the Executive Branch

Lawfare – Posting by Jim Baker – Donald Trump, Twitter and Presidential Power to Interpret the Law for the Executive Branch

“The president’s former attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty Tuesday [August 21, 2018] to several federal criminal violations, including making certain unlawful campaign contributions. The case was brought by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. That office is part of the executive branch, and the president is the head of that branch. The president tweeted this the next day [August 22, 2018]: “Michael Cohen plead guilty to two counts of campaign finance violations that are not a crime.” When I read that tweet, I was immediately reminded of the fact that under the Constitution, the president “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” See Article II, section 3. This is an obligation and a directive to the president, not a choice…”

Collaboration and Impact in Legal Academia

Whalen, Ryan, Collaboration and Impact in Legal Academia (July 2, 2018). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3206555 – “This paper examines the state of collaborative research posted on LSN subject matter e-journals. It provides quantitative analyses of how collaboration relates to downloads, school-ranking, gender, and geographic distance. Findings include a positive relationship between collaboration and impact, a… Continue Reading

The Art and Science of Lawyering: Law 3.0

Law Technology Today: “..Law 3.0 means using technology and business processes effectively in order to run a scalable and efficient law department or firm. Legal organizations have a well-deserved reputation for using technology and implementing business processes ineffectively at scale. Why? It’s not because lawyers are technologically inept or indifferent to the science of their… Continue Reading

USDA Organic Standards

“Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods. The organic standards describe the specific requirements that must be verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent before products can be labeled USDA organic. Overall, organic operations must demonstrate that they are protecting natural resources, conserving… Continue Reading

CRS – Election Security: Issues in the 2018 Midterm Elections

Election Security: Issues in the 2018 Midterm Elections August 16, 2018 IN10955 In the wake of assessments about foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election, concerns have been mounting about the security of the 2018 midterm elections. Security efforts are complicated by the complex, multidimensional election life cycle, with each dimension involving a broad array… Continue Reading

CRS – Gun Control: 3D-Printed AR-15 Lower Receivers

Gun Control: 3D-Printed AR-15 Lower Receivers August 22, 2018. IN10957 “The possibility that criminals could use three dimensional-printing (3D-printing) technology to produce “untraceable” firearms, including AR-15s, is an issue of growing concern for some lawmakers. It overlaps in part with the issue of 3D-printed “undetectable” firearms discussed in a previous Insight (CRS Insight IN10953, Gun… Continue Reading

Hundreds of Researchers From Harvard, Yale and Stanford Were Published in Fake Academic Journals

Motherboard: “…In the so-called “post-truth era,” science seems like one of the last bastions of objective knowledge, but what if science itself were to succumb to fake news? Over the past year, German journalist Svea Eckert and a small team of journalists went undercover to investigate a massive underground network of fake science journals and… Continue Reading

Bill Gates – Not enough people are paying attention to this economic trend

Gates Notes: The Blog of Bill Gates – “The portion of the world’s economy that doesn’t fit the old model just keeps getting larger. That has major implications for everything from tax law to economic policy to which cities thrive and which cities fall behind, but in general, the rules that govern the economy haven’t… Continue Reading

Commentary – The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction is the Best Place on the Internet

Literary Hub, MH Rowe: “Of all the things you can read on the internet, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction is one of the only good ones. In perpetual conversation with itself, ever growing and expanding—perhaps threatening, in its accumulated obsessions, to become self-aware—this index of the fantastic documents possible pasts and futures alike. It bristles… Continue Reading

Federal Judge Strikes Down Portions of Trump’s Executive Orders Undermining Federal Employees

The Hill: “A federal judge on Saturday [August 25, 2018] struck down several key provisions in President Trump‘s executive orders that he signed earlier this year that would have made it easier to fire federal workers. In a court ruling, U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote that unions were right in arguing that the provisions… Continue Reading