Law and Economics

In addition to this being my first year of law school it's also been the year of economic insanity, which is pretty clear. No conclusions yet, of course, about what it all means, both for us future lawyers and for us human beings, but it's certainly intriguing (or nervewracking, I suppose).

My father always wanted me to study economics in college ("Just one course!") and while I haven't gone though life wishing I had taken it, it has been a little bit shocking to realize recently this year how little I actually do know. Forget TARP or mortgage-backed securities; I doubt I could even handle a balance sheet or a stock portfolio.

So in classic auto-didact fashion I've been relying on Paul Krugman and Planet Money all year to teach me what I don't know. Now I have a pretty good idea what a toxic asset is (and why they're bad), what the hell securitization means, and why nationalization is the best thing ever (I'm sorry, is my socialism coming out again?).

It's a little bit sad that economics isn't required to graduate from secondary school - maybe it should be, to fit in with the U.S. and European history that most of us take as teenagers. At the very least we might have better credit scores, no?

Kultur

A night of this and that turned into rain, but we still seemed erudite.

Weather

I keep wanting it to be warmer than 55, but I have to remember that it is still March.

Ugh.

Word Games

A new favorite blog by a long favorite writer.

Unsound

This article from the NYTimes about convicted murderers becoming doctors in Sweden made me think about the "character and fitness" part of the bar exam, which apparently exists - not that I know anything about it.

Class schedules for next year have been posted! I think I'm going to take Evidence, Trademarks, Communications Law, and Enterprise Organization (introductory business law) in the fall, and Cyberlaw, Copyright, Patent Law, and Sex Equality in the spring. We'll see, though. There are enough classes for me to take that I could do four years of school - not that that's an appealing amount of work...

Swiss Missed

Best use of Helvetica I've seen in a while (directed, of course, by the man behind Helvetica)

Go West

My mom brought me a couple of avocados today (amongst other things) that were perfectly ripe and larger than the ones I get in a four-pack from Trader Joe's. I just ate one. I swear it was the best avocado I've ever had. It felt like butter. Amazing.

Is this what people talk about when they talk about California produce?

British Society

The view out the window. It's even foggier in real life.

Past Participle

A year ago today, I found out I had gotten into U of M Law.

Very weird.

Mess Mess

Currently on the dining table/chairs:

Two bags

A book of poetry

Two novels

A coat

Four books on the FDA

A scarf

A hat

Eight issues of the New Yorker

A cake stand (the only thing that should be on there)

A laptop case

Two Supreme Court cases on copyright law

A book on commodities

Three hornbooks

Most of a novel, in manuscript