WE'RE NUMBER 57!!!

UC Law took another drop in the US News and World Report Rankings, down to #57, presumibly because the brilliant Prof. Huffman, who Richard Epstein likes to join in Amici Curiae briefs, will not be teaching there next year.

One wonders what San Diego did to drop 20 slots?

BTW, Ohio State lept up to #31. I could be wrong, but I thought that OSU was behind UC when I applied to law school in the Winter of 1994-95.

I Kicked Kevin Costner's Ass

Monty:

I'm not sure how thoughts make it into rem sleep, but last night I kicked the Kevin Costner's ass - the Tin Cup version. That was probably my last Costner film.

In the dream, I was drunk at the time and Kevin was putting the moves on Susie. Yep, Susie and Kevin Costner cozy in a bar's corner booth. I'm not sure exactly why I was angered - Susie and I were not an item in the dream - and I sobered up later in the dream to regret the joy I felt in bloodying Kevin Costner.

(Note: After I woke up, I tried to transform Kevin into Tom Brady, but it was clearly Costner).

The Bible tells me not to get drunk. So perhaps it was god speaking to me yesterday after two classes of really good wine.

Or, perhaps the 6-week countdown to baby #3 is giving me the baby blues. I doubt that, though, because if that were the case my dream probably would've centered around me at Woody's in my tighty-whities.

Perhaps I can get some monday morning psycho-quarterbacking on my affliction.

March Madness

BUD:

I know what you are thinking: the basketball tournament seems like such a letdown since they already crowned the national champion in skiing. Hats off to Dartmouth who won it all this year! (although the rioting in Hanover the night of that victory was an ugly side story.) Keep your fingers crossed for Dartmouth's chance to repeat as national champions in figure skating next month. This would complete an unprecedented sweep of semi-obscure winter sports titles for the Big Green.

In other Dartmouth sports news that actually manages to touch on the theme of this blog, did anyone go down to Marge Schott Stadium to see UC take 2 of 3 from Dartmouth in baseball earlier this month?

More Headlines

Monty:

Not sure why this headline issue has garnered my attention.

But, it reaches beyond crime. Check out the spin on the Cognis hazardous discharge into the Mill Creek from this Enquirer article today. That's some good damage control. Swith the headline to Cognis Pays the Price for Dumping and take out two self serving quotes.

I'll give your suburb vs. city crime some more attention in the upcoming weeks...

Ok, this is a good game, I promise

This one takes some thinking:

www.wordsandwich.com

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF BAD HEADLINE WRITING

MOOSE:

The Cincinnati Enquirer does an awful job as the region's paper of record. It is all too quick to turn small downtown-area incidents into crime waves. This story is a good example. The headline, "Short Vine on edge after recent crimes," is simply unsupported by the objective facts listed in the article.

Here are the facts listed in the article:

• "In fact, according to Cincinnati police, reported crimes in Corryville dropped from 173 in 2002 to 119 in 2006." That's a massive drop. Why isn't this the story?
• "Police, some residents and many business owners say crime isn't bad there, noting the McDonald's fatal shooting was the first homicide in that area since 2003." Now I'm not a proponent of homicide, but if there were no murders in 2004, no murders in 2005, no murders in 2006, and one in 2007, I'm not sure that we should be ready to panic.
• Half of the locals listed in the article say things like, "'I've worked here six years and never been scared,' says Nikki Smith, 24, an employee at The Cupboard, a smoke shop."

Meanwhile the suburbs have a three-man drug-fueled Heat-like murder-suicide and the Enquirer blows it off as "defying logic," "puzzling" and "bizarre." I say that you're nuts to live in the northern suburbs where yesterday's court docket included cases where rape occurs in public parks, men beat up and shoot their wives, and foster parents kill the children that they are hired to protect; come downtown where it's actually safe in spite of the Enquirer's smear campaign. (Note - all five cited stories were in today's on-line Enquirer. Guess which of the five headed the section.)

Dogs and Cats, Living Together, Mass Hysteria

BUD:

This vexes me. I am terribly vexed. Peter "Build a Jail" Bronson and Lou "Lap Dance" Sirkin have found themselves on the same side of an issue. There is no question that this is a sign of the apocalypse.

He just wanted to check out what was on the tube

BUD:

In honor of John "Peeps" Hatcher dropping by the Blog, I thought I would post a link to this article about an all-too-familiar heinous crime that happened recently in Seattle.

DATELINE NBC

Just got this from my UC Law listserv:


This Sunday, Dateline NBC will feature University of Cincinnati Law students’ efforts with the Ohio Innocence Project. We hope you’ll tune in.

The experiences of UC College of Law students and faculty in helping free a wrongfully convicted man will receive nationwide exposure on Sunday night, March 11, when Dateline NBC debuts a program devoted to the case of Clarence Elkins. Check your local listings for the correct air time.

Please call me if you have any questions or if you want to learn more about how you can support the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Institute for Justice/Ohio Innocence Project.

To read the announcement of the TV appearance, go to -- www.uc.edu/news/NR.asp?id=5373

Sorry, Yet Another Stangely Addictive Game

Here it is:
http://www.gamershood.com/flashgames/2933

Hope Springs Eternal

BUD:

I know it's only the first exhibition game, but I have to admit that I am already more than a little excited about the Reds' prospects this year. After locking up Arroyo and Harang in the off season (BTW, when will Jr's wrist be healed?), the first game was tantalizing. Milton had an ok outing (sorta), Dunn had a homer and a walk, and their reclamation project Josh Hamilton also had a monster dinger. Even dirty jersey Ryan Freel was 2-2 with a stolen base (and error in center, ahem). I'm absolutely giddy about the thought of Homer Baily pitching at GAB.

I know, I know, we say every year that "if a few things break our way...." But I'm serious, the Reds could have a good year if a few things break our way!

In other news, if the Mariners don't resign Ichiro, I may have to take a break from them for awhile. You know, cool off.