Professor Bainbridge...on law, politics, religion, culture & food
Law & Business
Legislate in Haste, Repent at Leisure
The text of my May 2006 speech to the Hoover Institute on Sarbanes Oxley, Legislate in Haste, Repent at Leisure is now available online. The NCPA's Daily Policy Digest summarizes as follows:Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) legislation is costing businesses more than anybody anticipated, …Continue Reading...
Who should make more? Jeff Immelt or Dr. Phil?
James Glassman takes critics of CEO compensation to task:Our new global high-tech economy, companies are less likely to promote insiders who may be chummy with the board and instead pick CEOs outside not just the firm but even the sector - …Continue Reading...
The SEC’s Proposed Section 404 Guidance
After the Securities and Exchange Commission’s latest public meeting, the media widely reported that the commission was preparing significant regulatory relief for the smaller public corporations on which Sarbanes-Oxley imposes significant costs. On close examination, however, the SEC's guidance-based approach is …Continue Reading...
Shooting Fish in the Proverbial Barrel
Noel Sheppard:Media Scrooges: 'Bah, Humbug' To Wall Street's Christmas Bonuses. Contrary to their present Grinchiness, the press were much merrier about this annual ritual in 1999.
Martha Stewart Law
University of Tennessee law professor Joan Heminway has just released a fascinating book, Martha Stewart's Legal Troubles, in which she "brings together essays written by legal scholars specializing in both white collar crime and securities regulation concerning the varied legal claims …Continue Reading...
SOX reforms: Merely Cosmetic
My latest column for the Examiner opines:After the Securities and Exchange Commission’s latest public meeting, the media widely reported that the commission was preparing significant regulatory relief for the smaller public corporations on whi Sarbanes-Oxley imposes significant costs. Columnist Phil Mattera …Continue Reading...
Online Course Outlines
There's a website where students can buy outlines for my Business Associations course. Query whether such outlines violate my copyright interests in my lectures/PowerPoint slides/casebook? I don't know enough IP law to answer that question. Any advice? What I do plan …Continue Reading...
Students swapping exams online
From a discussion page at AutoAdmit.com:Hey UCLA folks, any chance one of you could send me Bainbridge's old exams/answers for Business Associations??? UCLA student? Student at another school whose teacher uses my casebook? Either way, it reminds me of the need …Continue Reading...
Wine & Food
Schramsberg J. Schram (California) 1999
This Chardonnay-based méthode champenoise sparkling wine presents a lovely yellow-gold, with tons of very fine bubbles. On the nose, it offers apples, citrus, toast, and vanilla. On the palate, besides those flavor associations, the combination of bracing acidity and bubbles makes …Continue Reading...
Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs (California) 2001
A very interesting sparkling wine. A clear yellow-gold, with no hint of redness. Very fine bubbles. The dominant flavor association is tart apple, which is somewhat unusual in my experience for a Pinot Noir-dominated sparkling wine such as this. Lovely. Grade: …Continue Reading...
Joseph Phelps Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley) 2005
A richer wine than some Sauvignon Blancs, while still offering more than enough acidity to make it refreshing. Meyer lemon, melon, and green apples. Grade: B+
Chateau Gruaud-Larose (St. Julien) 1961
At age 45, this wine was not just alive but vibrant; indeed, almost youthful. Decanted just before serving (off an immense amount of sediment), it opened and evolved in the glass and was still going strong over an hour later. A …Continue Reading...
Quail stuffed with foie gras and pistachios
The quail 4 semi-boneless quail (de-boned except for the legs) ½ medium yellow onion, chopped 1 shallot pat butter 3 ounces ground duck (or turkey) 1 teaspoon cognac 3 tablespoons heavy cream 3 ounces foie gras ¼ cup shelled pistachio nuts, …Continue Reading...
D’Artagnan Meats
I want to send a shout out to the good folks at D'Artagnan Meats. Despite the holiday rush and the air travel snarls this week, they timely delivered the buffalo hanger steak for dinner tonight, the quail and foie gras for …Continue Reading...
Silver Oak (Alexander Valley) 2002
A respectable Cabernet, but not up to Silver Oak's usual high standards. Clean cherry, cedar, and olive flavors. Well-integrated oak suggests a slight toastiness and perhaps some dill. Yet, the wine is very light bodied for California Cabernet, especially on the …Continue Reading...
Behrens & Hitchcock Homage to Ed Oliveria Syrah (Mendocino) 1999
Blackberries, cloves, game, and a dash of pepper. Yummy. Ready to drink but will continue to improve for several more years. Grade: A--
Punditry
Hanging Saddam: A Magisterial Perspective
The NYT opines:Toppling Saddam Hussein did not automatically create a new and better Iraq. Executing him won't either. That's certainly true, but hanging Saddam is still the right thing to do. I agree with - or, to put it more precisely, …Continue Reading...
More on the Duke “Rape” Case and the Academic Left
KC Johnson has an incisive column on the role academic groupthink played in the rush to judgment by so many members of the Duke faculty in the Duke lacrosse "rape" case. he flags three issues:1. Concerns about McCarthyite behavior tend to …Continue Reading...
Hollywood
Hollywood sign from Canyon Lake Dr
John Edwards Announces - The Economy
John Edwards' announcement of his bid for the 2008 presidential nomination had relatively little to say about building the economy. Back in 2004, I wrote that Edwards policies on corporate governance were "demonstrably wrong." I also criticized Edwards' impact on the …Continue Reading...
John Edwards Announces - Iraq and Foreign Policy
In his presidential bid announcement, John Edwards set out his Iraq policy, which can be briefly summarized as "cut and run":... we need to make it clear that we intend to leave Iraq and turn over the responsibility of Iraq to …Continue Reading...
John Edwards Announces - Poverty
John Edwards today announced his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic nomination for President. Transcript here. he apparently intends to make poverty a key part of his campaign:I spoke earlier about this issue of poverty and the two Americas. I've been running …Continue Reading...
Duke Rape Case Unravels; Plus, what will Dick Wolf Do?
Stuart Taylor and KC Johnson explore the role race and class have played in the now infamous Duke lacrosse player rape case:It's no secret that hugely disproportionate numbers of the innocent people oppressed by abusive prosecutors and police in this country …Continue Reading...
Should Ford Have Pardoned Nixon?
With the passing of former President Gerald Ford, the blogosphere is abuzz with rehashes of President Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon. (See, e.g., Mark Tapscott's roundup post.) I was 14 when Ford pardoned Nixon and I remember a profound sense of …Continue Reading...