On United States vs Stevens and the future of the obscenity law

In a huge victory for free speech, the Supreme Court of the US today struck down a law that banned recording, possession or distribution of videos featuring animal cruelty. The Supreme Court concluded that as written, the statute is overbroad and limits all sorts of speech that the Court believes is protected by the First [...]

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Justice Stevens was no friend of liberty

Judge Stevens has announced his retirement from the Supreme Court of the US. He had a long career on the bench, spanning 35 years. His most prominent opinions include the following. He wrote the majority opinion in Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica, 1978, in which he held that the FCC has the power to ban [...]

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France does not heart Scientology

I think that Scientology is a creepy, over-commercialized enterprise that feeds on people’s irrationality and does not do any good to anyone. In fact, I think the same about all religions and most quasi-religions. But what was it that a great Frenchman said once? I do not agree with what you say but I will [...]

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The extraordinary passion of belief and defiance

I had to share this. Politicians are generally fools, and Mausavi is probably only marginally better than his opponent, but there is no reason to doubt his assertion that “these masses were not brought by bus or by threat, they were not brought for potatoes; they came themselves.”

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Don’t insult my Padmashree

Honestly. Can this be real? A criminal case was filed in a court on Thursday accusing Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh with ‘hurting’ fans by staying away from the Padma awards function. Dhoni and Bhajji were to be honoured with the Padma Shree by President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi [...]

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A ski helmet rant from ten years ago

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Ski helmet poll

This poll depresses me. The state by state breakdown is revealing though. New Hampshire, Colorado, Montana and Oregon are red as I expected, though I am a bit surprised to see California that blue. Anyway, motorcycle riders have resisted mandatory helmet laws in more than twenty American states despite overwhelming public support for such laws. [...]

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Something those south Indian superstars should do (but won’t)

A thought just struck me. All those dashing moustachioed South Indian actors, yeah the ones who beat up the bad guys and gyrate with the voluptuous ladies with equal panache, should write a letter to their adoring fans. They should tell those young fellas that they can do something really great this Valentine’s day; form [...]

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In America, you give up your rights if someone claims you are suicidal

This is pathetic. I hope the guy has a forgiving temperament, because if it was me, the `ex-girlfriend’ would have very bad things happening to her for the rest of her life. I can comprehend murder, abuse or theft for revenge or gain. I can comprehend the most terrible act of tyranny for a selfish cause. Of [...]

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Raise a toast to Obama

I am a long time reader of Radley Balko’s outstanding blog, The Agitator, and I have seldom seen him this jubilant. From yesterday’s post: Credit where it’s due: Well done, Mr. Obama. I’m sure we’ll have our differences, but afer your first 40+ hours on the job, this libertarian couldn’t be happier. The tally: Obama [...]

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Dignitas

It is a controversial, much maligned organization. Lots of people find their work loathsome. What they do is illegal in almost every other country of the world. Dignitas. It’s a beautiful name. And they do beautiful work. To me, they represent freedom as few other things do. Imagine a world where organizations like Dignitas aren’t [...]

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The personal is not the political, contd.

(Post updated) In my earlier post on this theme, I expressed my opposition to using coercive legal means to advance social goals and my moral abhorrence for laws which censor expression, ban consensual behavior or limit freedom of association. I wrote: Any rational system of morality that makes the basic libertarian distinction between the personal [...]

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If you wish to donate for liberty, where should you?

If you wish to effectively advance liberty — yes the kind of liberty that I talk about in this blog — or just make a real difference to the life of someone in need, who should you donate to? Check out this great list by Radley Balko. Liberty can thrive only if people who care [...]

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Can’t get out of Carmen mode

What’s so special about Carmen? For one, the truly great music. Carmen is magical melody after magical melody. As for the orchestration, this is what Richard Strauss had to say: “If you want to learn how to orchestrate, don’t study Wagner’s scores, study the score of Carmen. What wonderful economy, and how every note and [...]

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Carmen

I went to see the LA Opera production of  Carmen today. What can I say about Carmen that hasn’t been said before? I had been waiting to see it for three years. Too often when your expectations are that high, you end up disappointed. Not so with this one. It was one of the most [...]

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