Category Archives: Current Affairs

The evolution of public law (cannabis edition)

Posted on January 7, 2016 by F. E. Guerra-Pujol

Critical thinking question: Are the drug-policy preferences of the “median voter” in Texas different from those of the median voter in Colorado, or are these legal/policy differences the result of some failure of the political process in those States … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs, Law | Leave a comment

“The logic of terrorism”

Posted on November 15, 2015 by F. E. Guerra-Pujol

That is the title of our 2012 paper in which we (a) discuss three lessons from the film “The Battle of Algiers” and (b) model conflicts between terrorist groups and counter-insurgent forces as an evolutionary arms race. We will blog more … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs, Game Theory | Leave a comment

Posted on November 14, 2015 by F. E. Guerra-Pujol

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Welders vs. Philosophers (“The Marco Rubio Fallacy”)

Posted on November 12, 2015 by F. E. Guerra-Pujol

“Welders make more [income] than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers.“–Marco Rubio (Nov. 10, 2012) In fairness to Marco Rubio, who we greatly admire, he is making a more general point about the merits of vocational education, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs, Economics, Politics | 1 Comment

Legal Risk (daily fantasy sports edition)

Posted on November 12, 2015 by F. E. Guerra-Pujol

As we mentioned in our previous post, Eric Schneiderman, the Attorney General of New York, recently sent a “cease-and-desist” letter to DraftKings and FanDuel, ordering them to stop taking wagers from New York residents. Both firms have responded that they … Continue reading →

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An Open Letter to the Attorney General of New York State

Posted on November 11, 2015 by F. E. Guerra-Pujol

Dear Sir: In your eloquent and well-reasoned cease-and-desist letter to DraftKings dated Nov. 10, 2015, you conclude that “Daily Fantasy Sports” is a form of illegal gambling under New York law. Specifically, you assert that “DraftKings has promoted … DFS [Daily … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs, Law | 1 Comment

Illiberal Yale?

Posted on November 11, 2015 by F. E. Guerra-Pujol

Ivy League sentences to ponder: “It is therefore remarkable that no fewer than 13 [Yale] administrators took scarce time to compose, circulate, and co-sign a letter advising adult students on how to dress for Halloween, a cause that misguided campus … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Current Affairs | Leave a comment

Are smartphone videos “speech” or “conduct”?

Posted on November 7, 2015 by F. E. Guerra-Pujol

This is an important legal question, since “speech” is generally protected under the First Amendment, while “conduct” can be prohibited and punished. At this year’s Loyola constitutional law colloquium in Chicago, professor Alan K. Chen explained why digital photographs and … Continue reading →

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Trick or Treat? A Reverse Dutch Auction of Puerto Rico’s Public Debts

Posted on October 31, 2015 by F. E. Guerra-Pujol

This is the most novel solution to Puerto Rico’s current debt crisis we’ve studied thus far, an idea attributed to Professor Arturo Estrella, an economist at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York State. (We say “attributed to” because we can’t … Continue reading →